Sign up with GoogleHi there,
I just wanted to post a warning about a scam that seems to be doing the rounds lately.
I was house-sitting at my parents house this evening, when I received a call from someone claming to be my parents domestic worker's brother. He sounded very distressed and explained to me that our domestic worker had been killed in a car accident earlier today. Naturally, this was really sad news for me - "Gracie" has been working for my parents since I was 1 years old (20 years!).
I took down the guys' number and called my dad to inform him. He phoned the brother back and found out more details about the accident. Afterwards, he phoned me back to see how I was doing. He then told me more about the accident and said that he was going to send the brother some money so that they could get transport up to the Transkaai where they could make funeral plans. This immediately got alarm bells ringing for me.
After further investigation - phoning the brother back to ask questions that only Gracie's brother would know - we worked out that the whole thing was a scam.
Following all of this, I went to the police station. They weren't particularly interested in the case, saying there wasn't much they could do - even though I have the guys' cell number (vodacom) and bank account.
I'm relieved that Gracie is alright, but thoroughly pissed off that people would sink to such low levels. Hopefully others will not need to go through the same distress if they are adequately warned.
Cheers, Nick
I just wanted to post a warning about a scam that seems to be doing the rounds lately.
I was house-sitting at my parents house this evening, when I received a call from someone claming to be my parents domestic worker's brother. He sounded very distressed and explained to me that our domestic worker had been killed in a car accident earlier today. Naturally, this was really sad news for me - "Gracie" has been working for my parents since I was 1 years old (20 years!).
I took down the guys' number and called my dad to inform him. He phoned the brother back and found out more details about the accident. Afterwards, he phoned me back to see how I was doing. He then told me more about the accident and said that he was going to send the brother some money so that they could get transport up to the Transkaai where they could make funeral plans. This immediately got alarm bells ringing for me.
After further investigation - phoning the brother back to ask questions that only Gracie's brother would know - we worked out that the whole thing was a scam.
Following all of this, I went to the police station. They weren't particularly interested in the case, saying there wasn't much they could do - even though I have the guys' cell number (vodacom) and bank account.
I'm relieved that Gracie is alright, but thoroughly pissed off that people would sink to such low levels. Hopefully others will not need to go through the same distress if they are adequately warned.
Cheers, Nick
) and all that.... got the case opened v quickly thereafter.