“President Ramaphosa” needs your money on Facebook

It seems like things are really going poorly for the presidency. At least, that is how it appears if you believe president Ramaphosa has been reaching out on Facebook with lucrative opportunities for individuals in KwaDukuza.

Several people in KwaDukuza have recently received messages on Facebook from an individual claiming to be the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa.

He claims to have foreign investment projects that could earn ordinary citizens as much as R 4.8 million – they only need pay R 3550 to have the money exchanged from pounds into Rands.

One resident, Prem Maharaj, told The Courier he received a friend request from a Cyril Ramaphosa.

“After accepting the friend request, he contacted me over Messenger asking what I do for a living. He later messaged me to say he had an opportunity for me to manage a company of his.”

Maharaj said after this relatively small hook was dangled in front of him, he began receiving messages detailing a supposed opportunity to get involved with a friend of the “president” working with the Southern African European Development Fund.

Other locals have also taken to Facebook to share their experiences with the supposed president.

One man wrote: “He requested as above my details. I then was added to a European union group that funds projects in South Africa. Then I was emailed a European union document saying 250 000 pounds will be deposited into my account. Then they requested my banking details so this so called funds will be deposited in my account. Later a lady calls me and asks me to pay in R 3550.

This was apparently for the transfer of 4.8 million South African Rands, ie. the monies I pay was for foreign exchange from pounds to Rands.”

Maharaj told The Courier this was not the first time he had been contacted by someone using the name of a high-profile politician.

“A few weeks ago I was contacted by a ‘Tito Mboweni’ who also supposedly had wonderful opportunities for me.”

It is highly unlikely that any individual would receive a message from the president of South Africa out of the blue on Facebook.

Unlikely becomes impossible if the so-called ‘president’ then starts offering you job opportunities and asking for money.

Always be on the lookout for online scams. They may seem obvious, but the mere fact that they continue means that every day people are being fooled into parting with their hard earned money.

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