The message was pregnant with enticing proposals from start to finish and Jethro Chitsinde found it hard to resist.
Heir to a Nigerian chief or Igwe struggling to access his father’s estate due to some unclear complications and wanting to get into a joint venture with him and share millions of US dollars — literally left Chitsinde numb with excitement.
All he had to do was provide personal bank details to get the ball rolling.
“I was just about to give him all the details about myself, including bank account numbers and all, until a workmate advised me not to, saying these were fraudsters out to rob me,” Chitsinde told NewsDay last week.
Internet scams have taken the world by storm with unsuspecting users falling prey to fraudsters who, from NewsDay’s investigations, appear to have mastered the art of pretending to be genuine partners worth entrusting personal information with.
Zimbabweans are fast falling victim to the IT vultures whose aim is to acquire people’s banking details and make fraudulent transactions.
Their tricks range from masquerading as business partners to desperate and women stuck in foreign countries, in need of financial assistance to return home.
Recently, an employee in Prime Minister (PM) Morgan Tsvangirai’s office, Lazarus Muriritirwa, was targeted.
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“I am in Spain and I have a little problem at hand and you are the only one that can help me. I promise I will pay back as soon as I get back home.
Please, I want you to lend me ₣1 200,” wrote one fraudster masquerading as Muriritirwa, to undisclosed recipients.
The premier’s Office was, however, quick to dismiss the letter.
“Muriritirwa was never stranded anywhere. The letter is just the work of fraudsters trying to use the PM’s Office to fleece unsuspecting people worldwide,” said Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka.
Telephone numbers purportedly belonging to the PM’s Office also proved fake. When NewsDay phoned them, one connected to a medical aid society and the other one to a local bank.
Last week, Alpha Media Holdings PA to the Chairman and CEO Montrina Mapetese also received a similar message, purportedly sent by former CNN journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault, who, like the Muriritirwa impersonator, said she was stuck in Madrid, Spain.
“I’m urgently in need of some money to pay for my hotel bills and my flight ticket home, will pay back as soon as I get back home. Kindly let me know if you would be able to help me out so I can forward you the details required for a wire transfer,” read the letter.
Another local man who preferred anonymity, also said he almost fell prey to one fraudster, by the name Precious Diamond, who said she was daughter of a rich Nigerian who died in an air crash in India and was struggling to access her father’s estate.
Her reason, according to the source, was the father was involved in shady deals and should she use her own bank details, the father’s colleagues would trace her and claim the money — millions of US dollars.
For that reason she wanted someone else’s bank details and they would share the estate. Mqabuko Ntuli an IT expert said most such scams were a result of Internet banking.
“Their major aim is to hack your bank details and conduct online withdrawals. They also use people’s email addresses, and through their knowledge of IT, access your password and make transactions,” he said.
Central Investigations Department spokesperson Augustine Zimbili expressed concern at the escalating cases of Internet scams.
“Most cases that we are receiving are those involving buying cars on the Internet. Some of these fraudsters are pretending to be car dealers, splashing cars on the wires.
But once payment has been done, they cut communication with buyers and disappear,” said Zimbili.
He advised those intending to purchase cars on Internet to approach Central Investigating Department first to ascertain the authenticity of the dealers before depositing money.
Have you ever fallen prey to Internet fraudsters, if so please contact us on 0777373250 email: [email protected].
