Beware of scams, Telkom warns

2009-12-15 12:11

Johannesburg - Telkom on Tuesday warned the public to beware of scams and fraudsters.

Telkom's group executive for enterprise risk management Thokozani Mvelase said Telkom wanted to remind its customers and the broader public to be "extremely vigilant and wary" as a spate of scams had recently re-surfaced.

In one scam a fraudster pretending to be Telkom's CEO phoned customers to tell them Telkom's banking details had changed.

"Customers are asked to deposit their account payments into an alternative bank account which, unknown to the customer, belongs to fraudsters.

"The telephone call is usually followed by a facsimile on a fake Telkom letterhead that confirms the false banking details."

He said a fax, ostensibly from the National Prosecuting Authority, then followed, re-iterating that account payments needed to be made into the falsified bank account. Mvelase said 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."

He also warned against criminals masquerading as Telkom technicians in an attempt to steal valuables from homes and offices.

"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."

Mvelase said technicians had to quote a relevant reference number that had been assigned to the customer for a fault repair or new installation.

"People who have not requested any service from Telkom should be particularly wary," he said. While Telkom did not want the work of its legitimate technicians to be unnecessarily hampered, should customers be suspicious they could call the Telkom fraud hotline on 0860-124-000, Mvelase said.

- SAPA