Anyone who owns a cellphone must have won the European Lotto by now. In fact, many of us have probably ‘won’ it countless times.According to a recent message, I am to receive R750 000 at some stage, once I have replied with my banking details. Pity the cash wasn’t here for Black Friday, but I’m hoping my family can look forward to some really cool prezzies this Christmas.

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One thing is quite puzzling, though. Why am I being paid out in rand? That means I only won a measly 48 000 Euros! Cheapskates! Oh well, one can’t look a Nigerian gift horse in the mouth.
While I’m sure my winnings are on the way, one can never be too careful today as there are crooks out there coming up with all sorts of innovative ways to fleece you of your ever-shrinking bank balance.
Nothing new, of course. One of the more famous (or infamous) scams dates back to the Vietnam War. American soldiers by the thousand picked up a particularly virulent form of venereal disease, aptly named the ‘Vietnam Rose’.

No medicine seemed to work and it was really a sore point back home. Then somebody came up with a miraculous cure and spread the word throughout the United States through adverts in newspapers.

“We have found a cure for the Vietnam Rose. Send a $10 postal order to (such-such) address. If it doesn’t work, we’ll refund your money…GUARANTEED!”
Very relieved veterans rushed to their post offices and thousands of dollars poured in.
Alas, the ‘cure’ turned out to be as limp as the rose stem. How did they get away with the loot? After all, there was a physical address and somebody must have signed to place the advertising. Easy. They actually DID refund everyone their $10 payment… in the form of a cheque marked ‘Vietnam Rose Fund’. Most vets were too embarrassed to cash it.

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