Beware of scams and fraudsters, warn Telkom

It is that time of the year again when the season's goodwill, peace and love is often tainted by criminals and fraudsters.

Telkom's Group Executive for Enterprise Risk Management, Thokozani Mvelase, cautions that a spate of these scams have recently re-surfaced. Telkom wants to remind its customers and the broader public to be extremely vigilant and wary in order to avoid becoming victims of these fraudsters," cautions Mvelase.

In one such scam fraudsters pretend to be Telkom's CEO and telephonically inform customers that Telkom's banking details have changed. Customers are asked to deposit their account payments into an alternative bank account which, unknown to the customer, belongs to the fraudsters.

The telephone call is usually followed by a facsimile on a fake Telkom letterhead that confirms the false banking details. A fax, ostensibly from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) then follows, re-iterating that account payments need to be made into the falsified bank account.

Mvelase explained that Telkom's corporate and global customers were particularly targeted in this scam. "I must emphasise that Telkom does not communicate with its customers via these channels. Our corporate and global customers are advised to contact their respective Telkom Account Managers and/or the Company's Credit Management if they are confronted with the above-mentioned scenario," advises Mvelase.

A sophisticated cheque fraud scam is also a matter of great concern.

In general, the modus operandi of these fraudsters sees them first depositing a stolen or counterfeit cheque into a customer's account. Then, on a false Telkom letterhead, the fraudsters inform the customer that the initial deposit into their accounts (via the counterfeit cheque) was an erroneous refund from Telkom or that it exceeded the actual amount that needed to be refunded to them.

The customer is then advised that the deposit or the surplus amount needed to be transferred back to Telkom. This account is obviously held by the fraudsters.

Fraudsters may also claim that the cheque was actually meant for another company such as Eskom or the South African Revenue Services and, therefore, needed to be transferred into the false Telkom account.

This letter is usually delivered to the customer by hand, but facsimile and telephone correspondence have also been utilised.

This transaction usually happens before the initial cheque deposit is cleared by the recipient's bank. Consequently, the customer's account will be debited with the amount paid into the false "Telkom" account while the initial cheque deposit is declined by the bank.

Customers are urged to be extremely vigilant and It must be stressed that Telkom does not conduct its business this way and reimbursements are not made into customers' bank accounts but are credited to the customers' telephone account.

Criminals also claim that they are attempting to refund deposits supposedly made for cancelled office parties. Here, the onus rests on companies to ensure that they had made such bookings in the first place and that these were, indeed, cancelled.

Mvelase advises that Telkom customers should adopt the following measures in order to ensure that they do not fall foul to the cheque fraud scam:

• Call Telkom at 10210 to confirm if any such a payment was made.
• If the letter is hand-delivered, the public must insist on the bearer producing a Telkom ID card. If one is shown, the details on the card must be recorded.
• Record the type, make and registration number of the vehicle being driven by the person delivering the letter.

Criminals intent on stealing valuables from homes and offices are attempting to gain entry into these premises by masquerading as Telkom technicians.

Bogus technicians arrive unannounced and claim that they need to check on PABX systems, voice or data connectivity.

Businesses and private residents should request to see the identity cards of Telkom technicians. The technicians must also be asked to quote the relevant reference number that has been assigned to the customer for a fault repair or new installation before allowing them onto their premises. People who have not requested any service from Telkom should be particularly wary.

"While we do not want the work of our legitimate technicians to be unnecessarily hampered, should any of our customers be suspicious about anything, they can call the Telkom fraud hotline on 0860 124 000 or their nearest police station to report their suspicions," Mvelase concludes.