Fisher Capital Management Latest NewsFraudsters target tech suppliers

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By Farzana Rasool, ITWeb journalist.
Johannesburg, 15 Apr 2011
Fraudsters using municipal letterheads and fraudulent cheques have swindled goods to the value of R2 million, specifically targeting businesses dealing in technology.
A statement by the Sekhukhune District Municipality, in Limpopo, warns businesses against scammers who have been using a municipal letterhead and fake cheques.
The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) said acting municipal manager Maureen Ntshudisane issued the warning, after companies in Mpumalanga and Gauteng complained that the municipality’s cheques had bounced.
“Council would like to warn the public to be on the alert for these miscreants that go around besmirching the name of the Sekhukhune District Municipality and, therefore, tarnishing its image.”
Millions lost
Ntshudisane said the fraudsters had been targeting businesses dealing in technology and motor vehicle parts.
Municipal spokesperson Willy Mosoma says ACC Technologies was swindled out 700 hard drives, worth R397 803, in January. In February, Mpumalanga Digital Solutions lost 30 Samsung TVs, worth R418 915, to the scammers.
Imperial Toyota, in Nelspruit, was robbed of brake sets worth R306 201, and iBurst in Sandton was swindled out of 87 laptops, worth R109 255, in March.
Mosoma says these are the cases that have been reported in 2011.
Two years running
The spokesperson says all the letterheads used in the scams were forged and the cheques were fraudulent, resulting in a fraud case having been opened with the police.
He also says the case follows two years of incidents with goods purchased and services acquired fraudulently from private companies, totalling R2 million.
“Our Risk Management Unit and the SAPS are working around the clock to find these criminals and put an end to this abnormality, said Ntshudisane.
She urged the business sector to validate all business transactions by calling the municipality on (013) 262 7300/01/02 during office hours.
“The district municipality does not transact business using cellphones,” warned the acting manager.
The GCIS adds that the Mpumalanga Education Department has had to warn school principals and managers to be wary of a fraudster who masquerades as a provincial government official sent to give computers to schools.
The department says a man, who called himself JR Nkosi, phoned schools in the Ehlanzeni District and claimed they would receive a donation of computers if they deposited R3 000 into a specified bank account.