Don't fall for the grand baby piano scam!

Is someone offering you a beautiful Yamaha Baby Grand Piano?

Well if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. 

Last week, Sara-Jayne Makwala King received a mail that read: 

I am looking to give away my late husband's Yamaha baby grand piano so let me know if you will take it or have someone who will care for it. 
Regards, Lindie Pretorius 
lindiepretorius151@gmail.com

As much as SJ loved the thought of an elegant baby grand in her lounge, she wasn't convinced.

A quick Google search brought up an article about a scammer who is using a baby grand piano as bait. 

It seems the scammer lures the person with the free item, but under the condition you pay the delivery fee.

And that's the crux of the scam. 

So how does one spot a scammer or potential fraud? 

"Even if one suspects it's a scam and calls to phone out more, they will convince you it's not. They are really very good. A scammer has convinced the art of convincing people to part with their money, bank pins and bank details." 

-Manie van Schalkwyk, South African Fraud Prevention Centre CEO

Van Schalkwyk says the fake goods scam is number five in the list of top scams in South Africa. 

"We see people pretending to phone from the bank and saying they're trying to stop fraud on your account. They want to stop a debit order or transfer the money into a safe account, and need you to approve the transaction. You receive a one time pin and feel obliged to respond. People need to realise the moment you approve that one-time pin, you've  lost all your money."

-Manie van Schalkwyk, South African Fraud Prevention Centre CEO

"Another common fraudulent scam is investments, where people are being lured to invest in a financial product that doesn't exist. There are also romance scams, where people are paying lovers they haven't met." 

-Manie van Schalkwyk, South African Fraud Prevention Centre CEO

To report a scam, contact the hotline number on 0861 SCAMS.

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