Zambian High Commissioner to South Africa, Jackson Miti has expressed concern over the increasing number of Zambians losing huge sums of money amounting to over K2.5million after being swindled through online platforms.
Maj. Gen. Miti said the Mission has in the recent months recorded several complaints of Zambians being scammed in trade related transactions.
He said the majority of victims were being scammed while trying to purchase agricultural implements, vehicle spare parts and home furniture from scammers posing as online suppliers.
“It is important for Zambians wishing to purchase goods online from South Africa to verify the authenticity of the companies they are dealing with before making payments,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Miti said it is unfortunate that most victims of online scams had reported matters to the Mission after being swindled.
He has since encouraged Zambians to seek guidance from the Mission whenever they plan to purchase anything online from South Africa.
This was according to a statement issued to the media by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Zambian High Commission to South Africa, Naomi Nyawali.
Really, is that all you can do for us? …
What measures have you put in place for someone to buy online without being swindled, this should be obligatory. JEVIC or any certifications outside and inside the country should be put up with minimum amounts of say 6,000$, this will protect the buyer and seller.
Should have reputable companies and platforms wishing to do business with Zambians register with the embassy.
BUY CHEAP BUY TWICE
Of course, they say this now because of the cyber security bill.
How can anyone take responsibility for the transaction between yourself and the supplier? If the Zambian mission has to help anyone the buyer must first go through the mission to verify if indeed such a company exist. Going to the mission after you’ve bitten the dust doesn’t help. go to the police or go home
This information is sad reading. People work so hard to earn the little they have and someone scams them. What the Zambian foreign mission is doing is to warn the citizens. It appears some bloggers seem to think that the embassy should do more but you need to make suggestions of how much more you need you embassy to do. The first line of defence are citizens themselves by ensuring that they counsult before paying large sums of money online.
@Patriot, I agree with your point of view entirely. We must desist from the dependence syndrome. When you are purchasing things online you are own your own, but when something goes wrong you want to blame your foreign mission, this is a very sad narrative. The best the embassy can do is to warn you.
#7 Choolwe Haantuba
The embassy can compile a database of bad and good suppliers and ask reputable suppliers to register with the embassy…
The embassy can also pay for this work by asking both suppliers and buyers on that database to register for a small fee….
Upnd Diasporans swindling innocent hardworking zambians
KZ STOP YOU NONSENSE CRIME CROSSES ALL BOUNDRIES
AND IF PF HAD A DECENT EDUCATION SYSTEM THIS MAY NOT HAPPEN
WE ZAMBIANS ARE NOT ALL THAT LITERATE WHEN IT COMES TO ONLINE SHOPPING
AND BECAUSE OF THE HARDSHIP PFF HAS CAUSED WE ARE ALL LOOKI*NG ELSEWHERE FOR DEALS AND THIS IS WHY
THESE ONLINE SCAMS HAPPEN
TALK LOGICALLY AND WASH YOU MOUTH WITH BOOM TO CLEANSE IT
PEOPLE HAVE LOST MONEY HERE >>>>>> LETS ASSIST THEM INSTEAD OF BLAMING UPND
One would wonder how some minds are redundant. Should this now turn into politics?How does one start associating this criminal act to a political party? I think the editors of this online publication should start doing their work. Throw out rubbish. Leave only views with content
These are Nigerians who have set up bases in SA.
Zambian business people also are easy to cheat. I once received a phone call from a Zambian friend who had seen a 2015 Hilux double cab for sale at R 58 000. The problem was that he was failing to go through the number on the website so that they could finalize the transaction. I asked for the details and indeed the number was not going through. I then did a Google map search of the physical address and the address which was given as a car dealership on the website came up as bottle store. I phoned the bottle store and they confirmed that no car dealership existed at the said place.
Zambians don’t learn this is not the first time such things are happening. There reputable online outlets though a bit expensive but problem we like cheap things. CHEAP IS EXPENSIVE.
MaZambians kuatelwa ahulu ki kuzizilika!
CYBERSECURITY AND CYBERCRIMES BAMBI ATI FYOO! IYO FYACHABECHABE///
I live here in Johannesburg I can be consulted to verify on their behalf by going physically to the company they want to buy their goods from and give report before they transact. I am doing it already to individuals and companies.