South African Ministry of Finance Alerts about Fake E-mails

The Finance Ministry of South Africa along with the country's FIC has alerted citizens of fake e-mails/letters which are presently circulating online masquerading as FIC, published allafrica.com dated August 12, 2012.

FIC, which works for making sure the system of finance in SA is credible and stable, is reportedly among the total of 7 institutions which are accountable to the finance ministry.

Apparently according to the ongoing online fraud, the fake electronic mail claims that its writer has the authority to dispatch an enormous sum-of-money that the reader is entitled to get and those who authorized him are Pravin Gordhan, Finance Minister and the IMF's (International Monetary Fund) Secretary General.

Moreover, for making the scam e-mail appear authentic, it provides the reader one reference number for the payment, a release-code of an ATM Visa Card, a confidential telex-code and PIN number.

However, for all that, the recipient must give his cell-phone number and address amongst other personal information, the e-mail states. There's also an admonition that the reply must be immediate so the payment doesn't go to someone who isn't the right beneficiary.

The Ministry disclosed that the scam e-mails had been utilizing various state agencies' as well as the FIC's logos.

It also said that these, which were a form of the 419 scam, were known to FIC that had been warning people through its www.fic.gov.za government site about fake campaigns, which posed as having the FIC's permission along with that of the Finance Ministry and additional public officials.

But according to FIC, it not only doesn't need anybody to pay for anything it does for them; it doesn't even disburse funds to any member of the same.

Jabulani Sikhakhane, Spokesperson for the Ministry-of-Finance reported the condemnation Pravin Gordhan made for his and the FIC's names getting used for defrauding South Africans into giving away their hard-earned cash. Mr. Gordhan had thus urged netizens for informing their local police about all alleged frauds, Sikhakhane added. Fin24.com published this dated August 12, 2012.

According to the Spokesperson, the fake electronic mails are recognizable by their incorrect logos, spelling mistakes and the exaggerated reimbursement stated.

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» SPAMfighter News - 8/20/2012