The Department of Water and Sanitation is asking small businesses to ignore yet another scam newspaper advert that calls for the supply of 80 covers by 31 August 2015.
The advert, which purports to have been placed by the department, is asking for the supply and delivery of orange SC-90 Covers that are 300 mm long and 300 mm wide. Although the advert carries the department’s letterhead, the telephone and fax numbers do not belong to the department and the person that named for enquiries, NP Mthethwa, does not work for the department.
The department would like to warn small businesses that this is part of a scam that has fleeced unsuspecting suppliers millions of rands in the past year through false adverts. The scam is affecting departments across government and the police are investigating various complaints of victims who have duped into parting with huge amounts of money.
It is suspected that more than one syndicate is involved in the scams. The modus operandi involves false adverts of a department asking for tenders for the supply of goods worth thousands of rands. Prospective suppliers are subsequently required to deposit money into fake accounts to the “manufacturers” of the advertised goods. The suppliers are later asked to deliver the goods outside the targeted department and pay the pseudo manufacturers on delivery.
The victims only become aware of the scam once they ask for payment from the departments. Since the beginning of the year the Department of Water and Sanitation alone has received no fewer than 15 complaints by victims of the scam who have lost several millions of rands to syndicates.
For more information contact:
Sputnik Ratau
Cell: 082 87421942
