You did not win R900,000
– it’s a scam!

Rustenburg – Cell phone users are being bombarded with text messages saying that they won big – even when they did not enter competitions.

Congratulations, you just won R900,000 in (random competition). Your reference number is (random number). Phone (random cell number) to claim your prize.

Once the victim contacts this number scammers will either try to obtain your personal information like your identity number, banking details and pin codes or ask you to pay money to receive your so-called winnings.

Other scammers send text messages that include a link to a website. Once you click on the link, they can download malware on your phone and get access to all your personal information or could take you to a spoof website where you will be asked to enter personal or confidential information.

“We would like to urge the community to simply delete all unsolicited text messages especially when it says you have won an amazing prize, inheritance or any other nonsense.

You will never be asked to pay money to receive a prize and never give out your personal details over the phone,” warned police spokesperson captain Elsabé Augoustides.

Here are a few tips to avoid falling victim to these scams:

• Delete these messages immediately.
• Do not click on links or icons in     unsolicited messages.
• Do not reply to these messages.
• Check that you are on the authentic site before entering any personal information.
• Contact your bank immediately if you think that your device might have been compromised.