CCPC Cautions the Public against Online Notification Prize Scam.

2020-01-16

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) would like to warn the general public to be cautious of the false Coca-Cola/British Tobacco South Africa official notification prize which is circulating online requesting Consumers to submit their personal information.

According to the Commission’s preliminary investigation, the scam indicates that Coca-Cola in collaboration with the British American Tobacco South Africa Company had conducted an annual draw on 25th November, 2019 which involved a random selection of 20 winners for a prize of £50,000 each, out of over 250,000 emails collected worldwide from individuals and corporate bodies respectively. 

CCPC has discovered that the notification in question is untrue and that there is no such draw which was conducted by the Coca-Cola/British Tobacco South Africa contrary to what the scam purports. 

Thus, CCPC is warning all Zambians to consider withholding their personal details by ensuring that they ascertain the authenticity of any online notification before they give out their details as failure to do so may expose them to internet scams and fraudsters.

Consumers should also ensure that information such as their age, sex, name, address, contact number, country and occupation are kept as confidential as possible.

CCPC also wishes to warn all individuals or enterprises who are in a habit of perpetuating the dissemination of content aimed at misleading consumers to desist from such conduct as that is punishable by law.

CCPC has further notified the National Consumer Commission of South Africa (NCC) over the matter in order to raise awareness and ensure that the South African citizenry is protected from such fraudulent conduct.

Rainford Mutabi

Rainford Mutabi