A sophisticated scam targeting small business owners across South Africa has re-emerged, causing significant financial losses for unsuspecting victims, Cape town Etc reports.
The scam revolves around fraudulent Requests for Quotations RFQs that masquerade as legitimate communications from government departments, enticing businesses to fall into a carefully crafted trap.
This disheartening trend sees companies receiving RFQs that, on initial inspection, appear to be genuine. The document typically features an urgent request for a specific item, complete with a detailed description and/or part number.
To further persuade the victims, a quick Google search will yield results that show only one apparent supplier for that item. While this might seem routine, discerning business owners are warned to scrutinise the details closely, as cracks in the facade can often emerge upon closer inspection.
The supposed suppliers website may look legitimate, yet significant red flags emerge: the only contact number provided is a cell phone, and the email domain appears as a free Gmail address.