Scum

I thought that some of our politicians were the lowest form of life, until I came across the story below. 

Incidentally, I tried to find the most polite way to describe our corrupt bottom-feeders. Then I realized that this is the most polite way.

To the story. A friend is battling along on the state pension that was raised recently by a jaw-dropping ten rands. (Some pensioners wept with gratitude). 

My friend is an indefatigable battler and is constantly looking for online and other work. He was contacted on Whatsapp for online work, doing reviews. It sounded innocent enough.

"Is this legitimate", he asked, which is akin to asking many of our politicians if they lie or have 'smallanyana skeletons' in their spacious cupboards.

A few reviews later, my friend had a few rands in his account. Then he was asked to pay an amount into an account, order a specific item from a 'mall' and receive his money back plus a commission.  This twist made him uneasy but thousands of fellow workers seemed quite relaxed. He followed instructions and was paid.

Quite optimistic now, he looked at his bank account the next morning to be met by an array of zeroes. His account was frozen. Three calls later, the bank told him that the company was suspected to be a scam / Ponzi scheme. Their fraud department advised him to take an affidavit to the nearest branch outlining how he had come to work for the company.

Now if Capitec, number one bank in SA, couldn't be bothered to contact a customer up front but simply shut his account down as if he were a criminal, then one wonders what service is like at banks number two, three and so on. But service comes at a price in South Africa. Status, connections, money - without those, you are but a peasant in the eyes of many businesses and government services. Forget the flowery values statements. There is proof enough of the pudding in our encounters. 

My friend contacted the business and told them what had happened.

"Did you do something illegal?" asked the so-called assistant in an inspired burst of mingled irony and chutzpah.

"How can it be a scam if you were paid?" she asked later. 

Many South African politicians could answer that quite easily.

Like our so-called leaders, these so-called companies scam thousands of needy and desperate people. As if it were not enough that they are in a soul-destroying struggle to live. 

It takes a special kind of soullessness and ruthlessness on the part of both these members of this special Whatsapp group.

Some details for you, should you be contacted and tempted;

Initial Whatsapp contact: +1 (607) 453-8288

'Name': Sophia

'Mall': Luckyshopapp.com

Supposedly working for Google

Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted 

Capitec Bank, South Africa  

1378565477

O Tichmann 

+27 833970723

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