Aug 20 2008
What crumb would jack Nelson Mandela ?.. sad indeed
Posted on August 21, 2008 - Filed Under ASID Newsbeat |
URL: Nelson Mandela’s name hijacked in internet fraud
The name of Nelson Mandela, the former South African president, has been caught up in an online scam.
By Sebastien Berger in Johannesburg - 20 Aug 2008
In a statement on Wednesday night, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said it wanted to warn the public about the scheme, which appears to be a variation on the “advance fee” or “419″ frauds which originated in Nigeria.
Emails are being sent out telling the recipients that they are the winners of a supposed “NMF 46664 Certificate Award”, worth £100,000 in cash and an invitation to Mr Mandela’s 91st birthday celebrations in South Africa next year.
46664 is one of Mr Mandela’s charitable organisations, devoted to the fight against HIV/Aids and named after his prison number, but there is no such award.
Recipients, though, are told they have to pay a £450 “administration fee” to open a non-resident’s bank account in South Africa to receive the money, and further emails are sent apparently from “Jeff Williams and Associates Legal Chamber” in Johannesburg.
No one with that name appears on the attorneys list of the Gauteng Law Council, which covers the city.
The first email sender is given as “Andrew Leigh”, supposedly “Head of Operations” at the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but the statement said: “The CEO of the NMF, Mr Achmat Dangor, has confirmed that there is no such person or position at the Foundation.
“The Nelson Mandela Foundation and 46664 would like to alert the public to this scam and categorically denounces any involvement in this fraudulent activity.”
