“The SAFPS is concerned about this and is urging the public to exercise caution and to be vigilant. This is another example of the risk-based environment facing South African consumers and how easy it can be for consumers to potentially become victims if they are not actively looking for red flags,” said Manie van Schalkwyk, CEO of the SAFPS.
An advance-fee scam is a form of fraudulent scam and is one of the most common types of tricks that tries to lull consumers into a false sense of confidence. The scam typically involves promising the potential victim a significant share of a large sum of money in return for a small up-front payment. The fraudsterthe victim that the payment will be used to obtain the larger sum, which never materialises.
“Should you receive a letter, a call, an SMS, an email or a WhatsApp message soliciting payment in the name of the SAFPS, please do not comply with the requests and demands as this is a completely fake initiative designed to cause you to lose money to fraudsters. Alert the SAFPS of this contact immediately,” said Van Schalkwyk.