Fraudsters have made an eBook describing Naspers as an ‘online trading platform’ and requesting people to invest in third-party account
Fraudsters swindle people’s money posing as Naspers. Source: shutterstock.com
The Naspers Group has reported a scam targeting members of the South African public. Victims of the scam will receive an eBook, via social media channels such as WhatsApp and Telegram, which describes Naspers as “a registered online trading platform”.
As part of the scam, fraudsters allege that targeted recipients will be assigned a trade broker who will trade on their behalf if they deposit cash into a third-party account. The returns promised are very enticing – for example, a 100% return on investment in an hour. Once money is transferred into the account, the funds disappear.
Naspers urges the public to always use extreme caution when receiving calls, text messages or emails from an unknown source, particularly when they include requests to part with money. Phishing emails, texts and calls can be very convincing, with company logos and banners copied from websites.
Importantly, Naspers notes it is not a trading platform. The company has a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and a secondary listing on the A2X Exchange in South Africa.
The company offers tips to avoid becoming a victim of a phishing scam:
- Never respond to an unsolicited call, text message or email no matter how official it may seem.
- Use extreme caution when clicking on links and attachments included in unsolicited emails, even if they appear to be from a company or person with whom you do business.
- If you believe you have responded to a fraudulent email, contact your bank immediately so they can take steps to protect your account and your identity.
SEE ALSO: Schemes & types of banking card fraud to watch out for
