Early in August a colleague told me that one of our clients, Test and Measurement Instruments, had just been the victim of a sneaky fraud. So I called Joe Dos Santos to learn how these characters work. Joe was eager to share his story and we would like to make all suppliers in the industry aware of this scam. Here is Joe's story:
The scam
"We were approached on a Friday by someone claiming to be from Zimbabwe and urgently needing equipment to be sent via weekend transport to Zimbabwe. The purchasers requested that a pro forma invoice be faxed to a local fax number, with banking details, so that cash could be deposited.
The office received a call stating that the fax was not very clear, requesting confirmation of the details. Thereafter, a fax was sent to us with a physical address at the corner of Leyds and Harrison Streets in Johannesburg, with two cell numbers, and a confirmation of a deposit into our bank. It specifically indicated a cash deposit and indicated cleared funds. The office checked on the Internet and verified that the transfer was made - but did not notice that it was a cheque payment.
The purchasers made arrangements to collect the items at the office after hours when everyone of importance had left on the Friday afternoon - also after banking hours so that the banks could not be called.
(It turns out that this enquiry was also made to a company in Cape Town for collection in Johannesburg, and another local company was caught out in this way about five months ago.)
On the Monday the cheque bounced, and it seems that this account was closed, but we are still in the process of retrieving the cheque (at time of writing - Ed). It turns out that the fax we received was sent from Saudi Arabia."
A fraud case has been opened, and Joe requests that anybody being approached in a similar manner should contact him as soon as possible on his cell: 082 562 2242. Any assistance in this regard will be appreciated.
This issue highlights
* Thermographic cameras have come down in price, but are still not cheap by any means. R&C Instrumentation shows how to go about getting the best value from your camera in 'Thermographic maintenance'.
* First BEE and then BBBEE... can make some folk a little edgy... Maurice McDowell takes an encouraging look at BBBEE in 'Moving towards broad-based black economic empowerment'.
* For those interested in the nuts and bolts of tribo-electric dust sensing, Environmental Process Analytic's article goes into considerable detail in 'Characteristics of tribo-electric dust sensors'.
New Würth Elektronik location in South Africa
News
A new Würth Elektronik branch has opened in Brackenfell, Western Cape. The location operates under the name Wurth Electronics South Africa and will serve local customers, as well as being responsible for markets in Botswana, Mauritius, Namibia, Tanzania and Zambia.
Read more...John Thompson and BECS partner to deliver biomass energy solutions ACTOM Electrical Machines
News
John Thompson, a division of ACTOM and South Africa’s leading provider of industrial energy solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Berkeley Energy Corporate Solutions, a specialist developer and supplier of biomass energy projects. Together, the companies aim to accelerate the deployment of reliable, renewable steam solutions to industrial customers across Africa.
Read more...Academy pumps out the next generation of experts
News
KSB Pumps and Valves has invested in a specialised training centre designed to equip internal and branch staff and certified partners with in-depth knowledge of KSB products and systems.
Read more...Celebrating the power of diversity in the engineering sector
News
The engineering sector has historically been a male-dominated field, and to a large extent it still is. However, this is changing, and the shift is gaining significant momentum as more women begin to take up leadership roles, spearheading innovation and driving inclusive growth.
Read more...From the Editor's desk: What happened to the metaverse? Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control)
News
One of the most interesting technical crashes in recent years is the metaverse. As recently as 2022, it was white hot, with massive hype led by Meta. Even Bill Gates was saying that in two to three years ...
Read more...Nidec adopts Siemens Teamcenter for electric motor development Siemens South Africa
News
Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced that Nidec Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer and distributor of electric motors, has adopted Teamcenter X software from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software to achieve innovative motor development and supply to set new industry standards, including automotive.
Read more...Yaskawa Southern Africa and Sol-Tech advance industrial robotics training Yaskawa Southern Africa
News
Yaskawa Southern Africa has announced a strategic collaboration with Sol-Tech, a private vocational training institution based in Pretoria, to strengthen technical education in industrial robotics and support the development of future-focused talent for South Africa’s evolving manufacturing sector.
Read more...Building skills and sharing knowledge for growth in Africa SEW-EURODRIVE
News
As a leading provider of drive and automation solutions across the continent, SEW-EURODRIVE recognises that local insight and on-the-ground capability are critical to delivering effective sustainable results. The company continues to invest in people development and technical training within its network of African subsidiaries and partners, supporting the long-term growth of its customers and the broader industrial ecosystem.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version