New scam tests local transport industry

Transport executive warns of modus operandi Alan Peat IT WOULD now seem that the old Nigerian scam of - “Send me your letterhead and your bank details, I want to bank US$10-million into your bank account” - has taken another turn. A transport executive - who has revealed names and numbers to FTW, but wants to keep them secret - revealed that his company and one of the major shipping lines had just been tested by a new scam. The trick this time was a request to move some frozen chickens in bond from Durban to the Congo. The fraudster provided a name and company name in Johannesburg, providing his fax and cell-phone numbers. “He asked us for a quote, and then requested our bank details - claiming that he would deposit the money into our account.” But, he added, revealing this information could be a possibly costly mistake. “With a signed quote and your bank details, he could get into your account,” said the executive, “and could clean out the bank.” He passes on the warning that all companies should be acutely aware of this scam. “When cash is mentioned,” he said, “we only accept it if the people come in themselves and hand us the cash - or it is handed to someone we know. “Do not divulge bank details to anyone 0not known to you.”