WENDY KNOWLER: 'Assume everything is a scam and never click on a link'

Stephen Grootes interviews Wendy Knowler, Consumer Journalist.

Listen below.

Knowler outlines a case she investigated illustrating how easy it is to be scammed, and red flags to note.

Mr. S contacted Knowler and explained the Department of Correctional Services owed him R434,000. He said he had previously applied for a government tender but was unsuccessful.

So when he received an email about a month ago inviting him to submit a quote for 110 specific types of woollen blankets, he was not immediately suspicious.

Mr. S found the blankets he needed online, but Knowler discovered that the website was fraudulent. It was designed to deceive him and other victims.

The fraudsters promised to deliver the nonexistent blankets to the department's head office on his behalf.

He told Knowler that despite this, he has yet to receive any payment and as a small business owner, cannot afford to absorb the loss.

"I had to break the terrible news to him, that this is a scam."

- Wendy Knowler, Consumer Journalist

Last year, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) issued a warning to all suppliers listed in their departmental database, which is linked to the Central Supplier Database, about fraudulent purchasing orders.

The DCS explained that scammers often request upfront payments or, as in Mr. S's case, solicit quotations for goods from potential service providers.

The scammers typically send a fake Request for Quotation (RFQ) from what appears to be a legitimate Correctional Services email address, using a counterfeit RFQ form complete with a logo and contact details.

Knowler highlights that a major red flag Mr. S missed was the email address ending in '.org.za', as legitimate government emails should end in '.gov.za'.

She advises that to avoid falling victim to such scams, one should always assume that unsolicited communication might be fraudulent, and never click on a link.

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.