PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FRAUD!!!!!!
HOW DO YOU SPOT A FRAUDULENT REQUEST FOR QUOTATION (RFQ)?
As the economy gets tougher and tougher business becomes more focused on getting more clients and orders and sometimes, we fall prey to fraud. Hopefully, this article below will assist you in not being a victim. Businesses are getting scammed by fraudsters in South Africa daily. In order not to be a victim please read this article carefully. The key things to look out for are as follows:
- Pay attention to the email address from which the request for quotation is coming from.
- Pay attention to the telephone numbers listed in the email.
- Pay attention to the names of the individuals on the RFQ and the RFQ number.
- Pay attention to any logo’s that are of the company or department – Example provincial logo but National Department tender.
STEP 1: Pay attention to the email address from which the request for quotation is coming from???
If you look closely you will see that the email is from prasa.cam, take the email nkosi.grace@prasa.cam and put it into google and then remove nkosi.grace and see if the email (Prasa.cam) brings up a website. When it is fraud the company will not come up or a website will not load. This is where the address takes us, clearly not a Prasa website.
STEP 2: Pay attention to the telephone numbers listed in the email.
Correct Number
Contact
Physical address: Prasa House, 1040 Burnett Street, Hatfield, Pretoria
Postal address: Private Bag x101, Braamfontein, 2017
Telephone number: +27 12 748 7000
Email Address: info@prasa.com
Take a close look at the numbers online, even be willing to call the online number not the number they give you. I stress do not call the number they give you as they pretend to be from the organization. Please always remember that the following people do this for a living every day.
STEP 3: Pay attention to the names of the individuals on the RFQ and RFQ number.
Call the business using the researched number and not the one given in the RFQ and ask for the name in the RFQ, should the person be available then you can quiz them about the RFQ. You will notice in the example the RFQ has no number or any reference point.
STEP 4: Pay attention to any logo’s that are of the company or department.
The more observant you are the more likely you will not be defrauded. Example Provincial logo but National Department tender, this is the perfect example of realizing that the RFQ does not make sense.
CONCLUSION:
Now in closing these are the facts:
- The scammers/fraudsters have no website.
- The scammers will put fake numbers, google, or check the original information from another source.
- Call the original number and ask for the individual in the RFQ.
- Pay attention to logo’s they can tell you a lot.