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WORLD ICON: Former president Nelson Mandela. Photo: ELMOND JIYANE

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"We are appealing to people not to expose themselves to such tricksters," the foundation's spokesman Oupa Ngwenya said yesterday.

The organisation was alerted to the sham raffle draw by Cape Town-based Jan Dreyer after he received an SMS congratulating him for winning R500,000 from a raffle on June 5.

"Mr Jan Dreyer, congratulations.

Your cell number was chosen among millions of others by the South African Compensation Fund, Human Rights Commission and the Nelson Mandela Charity Organisation for 2012," reads the SMS.

The message further reads: "We are compensating South Africans for successfully hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup. You have won R500,000."

Dreyer was requested to contact Lucille Adams and Howard Davis to immediately claim his prize.

The following day, he received another SMS where he was requested to pay R2,899 for the delivery of the cheque, insurance and courier charges.

He was also asked to send his bank details and copy of identity book.

"Out of concern, I decided to call the foundation to find out if they were running such a competition and they told me they were not," said Dreyer.

Ngwenya said the foundation had already registered the matter with the police to assist all those who have been affected by this scam. He also advised Dreyer to lodge a fraud case with the police.

"All well-meaning South African citizens around this month are gearing themselves to demonstrate their voluntary spirits of giving to the less fortunate in honour of Nelson Mandela's birthday on July 18.

"The public should be aware that the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund or any of the Mandela organisations are not running a raffle on people's cellphone numbers to give them prize-winning cash," said Ngwenya.

HRC spokesman Khumbulani Mpofu said his organisation was not aware of such a competition.

"Any SMS that says you have won a competition but requires you to pay money in order to claim the prize should be deleted," said Mpofu.

Comments

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Sat May 25 16:54:02 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 20, 2012

Pointman

Times are hard for crooks too. It would be difficult to pull off a scam using Madiba's name so they must be desperate. And which dumbo thinks that that the Human Rights Commission hands out random prizes? There must be one out there.
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Jun 20, 2012

truthhurt

People please be careful there is also a company that is doing the same thing, its called RMCS, crooks of note.
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Jun 20, 2012

Maphepha

Now they are so desperate they use tata's name to con people. What frustrates me is that in most cases these scams are pulled by foreigners and I also recieved one of these sms. They should have called that Lucille and Howard and play along until they catch them.
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Jun 20, 2012

sabza007

Bloody Nigerians!! I am not apologetic about that. You can remove my comment Sowetan.I have been receiving emails that I need to update my ABSA account because they are revamping their system and so forth. First of all,I don't have an account with ABSA. ...Red light.
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Jun 20, 2012

CheeseBoy

what is this article on about

want to talk about a scam?

THE Nelson Mandela Children's Fund itself is a scam. this organization has raked in billions using Mandelas' name yet I still have to see 1 'orphan' who can testify to benefiting from them
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Jun 20, 2012

Karabz

I call them moegoes, they use many ways of tricking people, they get the information about us from our social networks' profiles. It's then safe to always share our information only with people we know.
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Jun 20, 2012

tokolosi

mncim - I and most ppl I know - get the email and sms daily regarding bank account confirmation and refund of bank charges ---- I dont remember anyone calling the concerned bank about it, cause if you use common sense you realise quickly that it is a scam....not sure why thus Dreyer guy had to call the foundation ----maybe just for them to confirm that he is an entity and prove that he is somehow clever...stupid DA supporter - typical
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Jun 20, 2012

SED

Double Platinum rule “Someone who has to act is benefiting”
We will never win until institutions such as DMMA, mobile networks; Justice, bankers, home affairs etc. come together and get solution.
If U fall in this trap, Bank will tell that they can't reverse transaction because they don’t know contract between U and this 149 and they can't disclose information of their client.
Later on you will be told that they used ID of a dead person. Why bank hasn't picked this?
If you try to block this at DMMA, still U get these sms and emails. There are companies that fraudulently and automatically force subscription on our cell phones, charging us amount ranging from R1.50/day.
We always react. I’m sure if we can aim at the root not the leaves, we will uproot this evil.
We are a dooomed helpless nation.

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Jun 20, 2012

malemaforpresident

So people are so much in love with money such that they would use the Name of our precious Father Mandela nxaaa
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Jun 20, 2012

ghettobarbie1

Imagine tjo batho mare ....
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