Fraudsters are targeting Telkom customers by depositing stolen or fake cheques into their accounts and then requesting a refund, claiming the deposit was a mistake, says Telkom.
The operator explains the fraudsters use a false Telkom letterhead to inform the customer Telkom had erroneously deposited the cheque into the customer's account as reimbursement for overpayment collected on their telephone account.
"This letter is usually delivered to the customer by hand or via e-mail," says Thokozani Mvelase, group executive for enterprise risk management. He adds the customer is then requested to transfer the amount into a bank account that is purported to be Telkom's.
Mvelase did not explain how fraudsters get their hands on the Telkom subscribers' bank details. He notes, however, that the transaction usually happens before the fake cheque is cleared by the bank.
The fraudsters then bank the refund and the banks decline the fake cheque, which leaves customers out of pocket, says Mvelase.
The latest scam follows one last year in which fraudsters used a phishing scam to target Telkom customers.
Telkom customers are urged to be on the alert and to do the following should they receive a so-called Telkom or unknown cheque deposit in their bank accounts:
- Phone the nearest Telkom customer service branch and confirm whether there was indeed a cheque issued in lieu of an overpayment.
- Ask to see a Telkom ID card from the person delivering the letter if it is delivered in person. If one is shown, please record card details.
- Attempt to record the type, make and registration number of the vehicle that the person delivering the letter arrives in.
- Inform Telkom's hotline on 0800 124 000.
"It is important that customers remember that Telkom passes credits on telephone accounts if the need arises and does not refund through deposits into customers' bank accounts," adds Mvelase.
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