Scam alert - The Eastern Cape Department of Transport

21 Feb 2012

The Eastern Cape Department of Transport would like to issue this urgent scam alert to all would be victims, to be aware of a scam relating to the purchasing of tender documents for road construction projects under the Department of Roads and Transport.

On 20 February 2012 a report was received of an allegation that there is a scam that involves the sending of an SMS message inviting people to hastily deposit R450 to R500 at Pick & Pay Supermarket for purchasing of tender documents. 

Today, the first victim called-in to the department to report his misfortune, that yesterday he was tricked by a highway- man to deposit R450-00 at Kokstad Pick & Pay with the understanding that he would be given a favour of delivery of the documents to him.

1. The following is the wording of SMS message received by the victim on 17 February 2012: “Project 263/2012 road marking from Port Elizabeth to Grahamstown N2 Road, Project budget R32 million. Contractor needed urgently. Contact Tumi”

2. The second SMS message received from the perpetrator gave guidance on the manner the transaction should be done at Pick & Pay reads: “Road and Transport 263… Ref. UR ID no or Ur Company’s name. Amount R450. Nb. Sms back the Ref no and the Pin number”

The department is appealing to anyone who receives this message or any others which might be similar to this one to please ignore them and not be tricked into losing their money.

Issued by: Eastern Cape Transport 
21 Feb 2012