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Treasury warns of coronavirus scammers targeting suppliers

National Treasury released a statement on Wednesday afternoon warning that scammers were targeting businesses who supply to government by purporting to send out requests for quotations on coronavirus prevention equipment.

National Treasury said items available on transversal contracts included face masks, disposable aprons, safety goggles, PVC Boots, gloves and surface-only sanitisers.

A transversal term contract is one facilitated by National Treasury for goods or services required by multiple institutions. National Treasury said in the statement that scammers were looking to impersonate the department to service providers.

The coronavirus outbreak has given rise to opportunistic scammers hoping to make a quick buck from companies who supply goods and services to government.

The statement said the Department of Finance has awarded a number of transversal contracts on behalf of government that provide items that government needs to limit or prevent the transmission of Covid-19.

Fake requests

"It is important for suppliers doing business with government to be aware and careful in responding to fake requests for quotations requesting the provision of the items or similar items," the statement said.

The statement said National Treasury has already made alternative arrangements to augment the possible shortages of items that are not on transversal contracts in the system. 

"The onus remains with suppliers to ensure that the RFQs they respond to during this heightened period and beyond are in line with the commodities and services they registered for on the central supplier database," the statement said.

National Treasury is not the only state organisation dealing with impostors amid the rise of Covid-19. The South African Reserve Bank also released a statement saying that scammers were approaching South Africans pretending to be representatives confiscating contaminated banknotes.

The Reserve Bank clarified that there is no evidence that banknotes or coins could carry and transmit the coronavirus.

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