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RIPPED OFF: Fake tender fraudsters are using the government's database of suppliers to con small business people out of goods such as laptops and booze. PHOTO: VATHISWA RUSELO

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The scammers, who were targeting small business people by seemingly hacking the government's database of suppliers, were nabbed earlier this year when they brazenly lured a victim to deliver expensive booze to the office of Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi on the pretext that he had won a R200,000 tender to supply alcohol to the minister's office for Freedom Day celebrations.

The businessman was told the booze was to be served to important dignitaries at the Union Buildings on Freedom Day.

The scammers had given the businessman a fake tender to deliver expensive single malt whiskies, French champagne and pricy cognac.

The liquor list included Moët & Chandon, Hennessy Cognac, Chivas Regal and Johnnie Walker Red, Gold, Green and Blue Label.

The four fraudsters' luck ran out when police pounced and arrested them.

Their downfall came about when the hapless victim went to the Department of Public Works' offices on the eve of Freedom Day to ask for a further brief because he could not find enough Moët and Hennessy to purchase according to the list supplied.

This led him to report this to the procurement department before the delivery.

After he reported the shortfall, the Department of Public Works, in conjunction with the victim and police, set up a trap leading to the arrest.

Boxes of alcohol were filled with stones to make the fraudsters believe they had the loot, before they were apprehended.

The fraudsters had asked the supplier to deliver the alcohol to a venue in Bosman Street that was not a government-owned building, confirming police and Public Works officials' suspicions that crooks were at work.

Undercover cops drove the "booze" to the building and later followed the crooks to a nearby town house, where they arrested them.

Laptops, stationery with government letterheads and Neotel cellphones used to lure unsuspecting victims were confiscated.

• Of the 51 cases reported, the Department of Public Works has been hard hit by the scammers.

Several victims reported by Sowetan were previously asked to deliver iPads and other appliances by crooks using the same modus operandi.

Other government departments that have been scammed include Health, Transport and Statistics SA, who were scammed for more than R1.6-million.

Laptops worth more than R2.2-million were also stolen in this way.

Thami Mchunu of the Department of Public Works's communications and marketing division confirmed the arrest but could not divulge details of the businessman.

"On realising that this was a scam the matter was reported to the SAPS and a joint sting operation between Public Works officials and police was set up.

"On April 27 2012 four suspects were arrested and detained at Pretoria Central," said Mchunu. The case is under investigation.

South African Police Service spokesman Vishnu Naidoo said SAPS can account for six cases of fraud reported at Pretoria Central that appear to be linked to the scam.

"In one of the cases, four suspects were arrested and taken to court but the case was withdrawn as the suspects could not be linked to the case," he said.

All the cases, including the one in which the charges were withdrawn against the four suspects, are still under investigation, he said.

"It cannot be emphasised enough that due to the complexity of fraud investigations such cases take a while to investigate and also, one cannot expect a blow-by-blow account of such investigations," Naidoo said.

• This article was first published in the printed newspaper on 30 July 2012

Comments

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Wed May 22 23:39:17 SAST 2013 ::

Jul 31, 2012

Mafesh

Investigation must start in house, heads must roll, where did these criminals get the stationery with government letterheads, I thought Government IT security is secured, how did the hack, for every hack the are traces left, why did it takes them so long to get these people... eish! Gov and its useless employees... NXA!
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Jul 31, 2012

candilious

@Mafesh -I agree with you this is an inside Job. Question is how long has this been going on allof the sudden 1 person made them realize that something fishy going on.



According to the report many Bussiness were hit hard why did their not come forward. Jirree there are more involved then these suspects. For what its worth you guys have money get urself a good Attorney and start to whisle for your freedom briing them down with you
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Jul 31, 2012

Mafesh

@Candilious *Of the 51 cases reported*.. he he he! Government mara, 51 cases reported, no investigations started.. the scam started in 2010 over 5 mill lost... meaning over 51 times the tender system was hacked, did they not notice, why did they do to make sure the hacking doesnt happen again... NXA! hhai SA government mara...
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Jul 31, 2012

candilious

@Mafesh -Lol its actually funny how these journos,politicians messing with people

aLIVE WITH pOSSIBILTIES & A FREE tENDER hahahahhahhaha Friends with benifits on the top floor haaaaaaaibo
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Jul 31, 2012

CB045

This pattern will continue because of job restrictions to other races. The next step will be for the desperate ones is to kidnap government officials and hold them to ransom, since they are usually well paid and have a lot of money.
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Jul 31, 2012

iPhone4

Does government have auditors? That's where they should start their investigation
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Jul 31, 2012

Mrazane

This is not an "inside" job but people who have seen a criminal opportunity in the tender process, they know most people would love to be a supplier to government - criminals approach business people on the pretext that they want suppliers for government and the goods stolen are stolen from small businesses and not government- as for the issue of letterheads, that is very easy you get a letter head template, go to google images put in the name of the company or government department you want and voila all the logos are there you copy and paste onto the template and you create your own letter head. Pickpocketing is soooooo yesterday.....
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Jul 31, 2012

tpaz

for the love of tenders
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Jul 31, 2012

Phuphethakatha

Bopha! White colar criminals are very innovative...
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Jul 31, 2012

bizoro

Just Imagine if they first demand a bribe B4 they give u this fake tender to supply what ever they need.

But these people are also stupid or so money hungry, How do they accept a tender that they did not tender for.
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