http://singe.za.net/blog/ Dominic White - .tHE pRODUCT - Security & Privacy Blog en Serendipity 1.5-beta1 - http://www.s9y.org/ webmaster@singe.rucus.net webmaster@singe.rucus.net 2160 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:00:19 GMT http://singe.za.net/pics/links/tHEpRODUCT-blue.gif http://singe.za.net/blog/ 120 29 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#c13142 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=948 nospam@example.com (Mike ) I've just received a call from Peace (very unprofessional and vague) from Talk -A-Line Comms, with the exact same story. I'm supposed to have entered a competition to win a quad bike or a GPS or a variety of smaller prizes, and I'm in the lucky draw. I have to take my partner to a location in Midrand somewhere, address to be supplied and confirmed tomorrow. The vagueness and uncertainty of the lady who phoned me immediately rang alarm bells, and I headed for my computer. Well done to Diamond Eagle for taking the time to check this out, as he says, most people will either fall for it or just ignore it. One wonders how many people do fall for it, as it seems a very complicated and costly process. Ha! I've just received the fax from Peace confirming the address as 400 Central Office Park. A bit sad that Kobus Wiese is involved in this, a bit of a comedown from the heights of his rugby days. Maybe someone should tell him about this blog! Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:35:30 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-guid.html#c13142 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#c13141 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=948 nospam@example.com (Mitchele Mase) I just got a call this morning(4 March 2010) from a company called Interways based in Fourways. Apparently I've won a couple's getaway to one of the group's local resorts. I was asked to bring my husband/boyfriend to the prizegiving and also told someone will call me tomorrow to let me know where the prize giving will take place. I have the exact same number as everyone else speaks of on this blog...I knew there was something suspicious. The lady who called me gets zero points for creativity, there's something very suspect about the name CANDY! Thank God for intuition too. Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:40:26 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-guid.html#c13141 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#c13140 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=948 nospam@example.com (Dominic White) @DiamondEagle Are you sure that's the same scam the addresses you provide aren't the same the several hundred other people have referenced? Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:28:17 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-guid.html#c13140 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#c13139 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=948 nospam@example.com (DiamondEagle) See this comment for more info: http://www.joblog.co.za/2008/01/scammed/comment-page-8#comment-109865 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:50:07 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-guid.html#c13139 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#c13138 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=948 nospam@example.com (DiamondEagle) There are two parties involved in the scheme that I was invited to evaluate. The "independent" guy who cold-calls you is from Party A (Talk-A-Line Communications) and his sole purpose is to get you to attend a presentation by Party B. Party A gets paid approximately R100 just for getting you to attend the presentation. Once you're at the presentation Party B takes over. Party B is there to sell you the opportunity to join a business venture based around a financial management program and a timeshare marketing scheme. After reading all the complaints about this scheme on this site - mostly from people who haven't made the effort to get the facts - I decided to attend the presentation to see what it's all about. Party B was a software development company called the HMS Group (Household Marketing Services), address: 400 Central Park, 16th Road, Midrand. Web: householdms.net. Their spokesman is the one and only Kobus Wiese. The usual mode of operation is that Party A cold-calls you and tells you that you are guaranteed to win a prize (a holiday, quad bike, rubber duck, GPS, etc.) To get the prize you must attend a presentation by Party B at the 400 Central Office Park building in Midrand. In this case the speaker was a DVD of Kobus Wiese promoting a network marketing type of business opportunity based around a computer program. This program allows you to track your "network" i.e. all the people that you have recruited into the network (by getting them to attend this presentation) and who have bought the computer program (and from whom your income is being generated). It is also a household and financial management program similar to Quicken, Microsoft Money and GnuCash. You use it to track your household income, budget, investments, expenses and do your tax returns. See: www.householdms.net/HMS/hms/products.bot for details. To join the club you pay about R8000 for the HMS software program (If you buy it there at the presentation. You can get it outside the presentation at a higher cost and you're also slapped with an annual fee.) Additionally, you then need to attend a timeshare demo. Finally, you need to refer three people who will then be contacted and offered an opportunity to attend the another showing of same presentation that you were lucky to attend. You will then earn money on these people that you refer... My first thought after listening to the explanation of the business model was "pyramid scheme", but the "rep" read my mind and was quick to try and explain why it's not a pyramid scheme. Maybe "network marketing scheme" is a better name... At the end of the presentation you get given a "lotto ticket" as you are about to leave - a ticket that allows you to enter the competition draw for that prize that convinced you to come to the presentation in the first place. As you walk out to the reception a lady takes your ticket and asks you to select 5 numbers. She then explains the draw process and the prizes that you can win if the numbers that you select are drawn (in the order that you selected!) She spins the lotto machine filled with ping pong balls and, depending on the winning balls that are picked by the machine, awards you your prize. Like most people that play the lotto, none of your numbers will probably be drawn and for that you are awarded a consolation prize: a midweek 4 night accommodation voucher valid for 2 adults and 2 children - excludes public and school holiday periods and excludes all meals, drinks and transport to and from the resort - and all this subject to availability and a R500 refundable key and Breakage fee. I must admit that, being a strong user of a financial management program, I was very impressed with the computer program and I might have bought it if it was not attached to the "business opportunity" and if the price was right (and at R8000 it wasn't right!) Unfortunately, if you choose to buy the program after the presentation it's considerably more expensive and is loaded with an annual fee and other conditions that make it generally a bad deal. But the weakest part of the whole model is that you have to decide whether or not you want to buy the program without actually having had a real opportunity to evaluate it and really see how it works! That's like buying a car blindfolded and without taking it for a test drive... Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:46:18 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-guid.html#c13138 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#c13137 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=948 nospam@example.com (andre) Hi there all Same story with me only I got excited as I am 23 do not own a car, I have a valid driver’s license and do not know how it feels to drive “my car” if you know what I mean Any how these bastards called me on my company number saying all the same things and that I will not leave empty handed they even have a dinner for me and my partner if I do not win the competition for the car “Chevy Spark” I decided not to go as I have an issue to get there and to get back to Benoni at 18:00 in the evening I hope theses people will stop doing this as it only upsets people like me …….. Cheers Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:46:55 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-guid.html#c13137 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#c13136 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=948 nospam@example.com (Merandi Liebenberg) Jip, I also got the call this afternoon.. from "Angel"... in line to win a Chevy Spark... LOL!! Not sure where they got my number from... Based in Midrand... tel number 087 805 2365... Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:28:45 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-guid.html#c13136 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/954-Why-I-think-the-Quality-Vacation-Club-is-a-Dubious-Organisation.html#c13135 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/954-Why-I-think-the-Quality-Vacation-Club-is-a-Dubious-Organisation.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=954 nospam@example.com (Chant@l) Hi, i have a similar issue, and have just received a red letter saying that they will take me to court if i don't pay within the 14 days. No my husband and i was fooled with the admin fees also, when i queried why they are deducting 2 payments they told us 1 for the bond and 1 for the management fees. we haven't used this holiday points and don't want it anymore, they promiced us if we don't want this we can cancel in a years time, or they take it back, but we have paid a deposit of 2k, and have paid R500 monthly for a while until we realised that this was getting us no-where, no we deal with Green Flash as a collecting agency and shame they are sweet, but they cannot help at all as they were only appointed and has a collection agency. We now struggling financially and can really do without this. The final outstanding ammount is R28k and we are not prepared to continue. we cannot call them directly, because we do need to cancel this holiday point system. Do we state our case in court aswell, do we need a lawyer for this? Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:41:06 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/954-guid.html#c13135 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/798-Telkom,-JM-Attorneys,-Meiring-Company-Inc..html#c13134 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/798-Telkom,-JM-Attorneys,-Meiring-Company-Inc..html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=798 nospam@example.com (Sonja) Hi guys, remember that as per the NCA and Debt Collectors' Acts nobody can charge you more than your capital account for interest and fees. So Chris, your R149 in 2001 can not go up to an amount of R2045.65 as its illegal. Guys go read up on the National Credit Act, Debt Collectors Acts (fees that they can charge etc and who is actually registered to collect) as well as the Consumer Protection Acts! It will save you lots of money and heartache! Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:24:01 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/798-guid.html#c13134 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#c13133 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=948 nospam@example.com (Kanitha) Thanks for the heads up guyz. I just received a call and was really excited. i often enter SMS competitions so maybe it could be true. My luck was eventually turning! I was also told that they will not try and sell me anything. Was about to make some elabotate excuse to my boss why i needed to leave the office earlier. She was really convincing. It works like a spin the wheel and you wont go home empty handed. i am gauranteed a GPS and dinner voucher at least. so if i have a prtner its better to bring him along so that i wont have to eat dinner alone !!! Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:43:28 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-guid.html#c13133 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#c13132 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=948 nospam@example.com (Tinks) Berenice from Ocean Breeze called me. She told me that I have won vouchers for a holiday to Hawaii for my husband and I. When I questioned her about this she said that they are a wholesale travel agency and they are giving away free holidays to couples so that when they get back they can tell their friends what a good time they have had on the trip and "advertise" their company via word of mouth. I'm sorry, but I do not believe any company would just give away holidays like this in order to advertise themselves. I asked her if I could come in during the day on my own as I could not find a babysitter in the evenings and she said that I had to bring my husband with me so I immediately realised this is a scam. But what is really worrying me is when I got the first call from them a few weeks ago they asked me questions like, "have I been a victim of crime recently" and "what is the police presence like in my area". Why would they need to know that type of information? Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:15:44 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-guid.html#c13132 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#c13131 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=948 nospam@example.com (Eldrid) My wife an I were one of the unfortunate one's that got scammed by QVC, claiming we would win a nissan bakkie & quad bike etc..and now we are sitting with a legal battle, as the sales consultant that has mysteriously vanished, conned us into signing up for timeshare, and by breach of contract on their part.We were told we could go to any holiday destination, at any time of the year,but were not told that you have to book a year in advance and that there are extra hidden costs, as well as we could sell our points at any given time. To this day we have not paid them anything, as we never used their services, and yet they keep on sending us statements and threatening lawsuits. Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:21:41 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-guid.html#c13131 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#c13130 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=948 nospam@example.com (Abegail) Have just been contacted by these people, same scam the new name is Interwave operating from Fourways, what alerted me was when i asked him the address - office 216 on the second floor??? Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:54:19 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-guid.html#c13130 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#c13129 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=948 nospam@example.com (TAMMERYN DU PLESSIS) I HAVE TO SAY, THANK GOODNESS FOR THIS BLOG! THEY PHONED ME THE 22/02/10 AS FIONA AND TOLD ME I HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO WIN A CHEVY SPARK AND THAT I WONT BE LEAVING EMPTY HANDED.THEY EVEN FAX ME THEIR DETAILS AFTER I TOLD THEM THAT I DONT BELIEVE THEM.STILL THEY GAVE ME THE NUMBERS THATS ON THIS SITE AND ALL THE NAMES, THEY TOLD ME TO GO TO WILLIAM NICOL OFFRAMP OFFICE PARK DESIGN QUARTER OFFICE 216 2ND FLOOR AT 6 PM,ONE OF THE NUMBERS WAS ANNAH 0763758026.THEY EVEN TOLD I HAVE TO GIVE A REF NUMBER(J559) SO SORRRY FOR THEM IM NOT GOING TO BE ONE OF THEIR FOOLS! Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:54:17 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-guid.html#c13129 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#c13128 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-Youve-won-a-car-Scam-Carlswald-Design-Quarter.html#comments http://singe.za.net/blog/wfwcomment.php?cid=948 nospam@example.com (almost) Guys my wife got this call two weeks back. all sounds the same. my worry is what happens when you attend. how are they actually trying to scam? has anyone actually fallen for this what happened to them???? Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:13:48 +0200 http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/948-guid.html#c13128 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/