We would like to warn our readers of a new scam doing its rounds in various classifieds web sites around South Africa like Gumtree, OLX, All4Women and more.

The scammers advertise KUSA registered Yorkshire Terries for sale but like all scammers they get money out of you and you never get your dog. One of our readers who got caught by these scammers submitted the story below.

If you are interested in buying a dog and the advert claims that the breeder is KUSA registered then the onus is upon you to phone KUSA (Kennel Union of South Africa) and ask them if the person is actually a registered breeder. 

The letters "KUSA" stand for the Kennel Union of Southern Africa. KUSA should always be written in capital letters (not Kusa!)

KUSA is the authority on dogs in South Africa. They organise dog shows where dogs are judged by qualified persons. Dogs are compared to the Breed Standard for each breed. A good show dog can earn the title of Champion.

KUSA keeps records of litters registered, and issues statistics on the number of puppies registered, dogs imported and exported, etc.

If you buy a puppy that the breeder says is "KUSA registered," you should receive a KUSA registration certificate. The breeder may post it to you.

Contact KUSA on ph 0214239027/8  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Also be very careful of doing business with anyone who uses a Yahoo or Gmail address as their primary address, there is no way an international shipping company uses a Gmail address. Also be careful of dealing with someone named "Person A" who asks you to put money into an account owned by "Person B". These are immediate signs that you are being scammed.

Story submitted by our reader follows: (sensitive information submitted to us by the reader such as ID numbers and Bank account numbers have been excluded here for security reasons. We have submitted this information to the SAPS Internet Fraud division and await their response. Anyone requiring this information for investigation purposes may contact us)

I’m hoping that SOMEONE at the SAPS FRAUD DIVISION is able to stop this person.

I’ll keep the story as brief as possible and have attached the relevant e-mails containing
all the information you require for your investigation.

I replied to an advert on the all4women website advertising teacup Yorkshire terriers for
sale. I was then contacted by the “seller” who offered me one of the puppies for R1,200.00
instead of the requested R2,500.00 as he had to get rid of her urgently before the next litter
which was due this week.

He called me on my cellphone and told me how lovely the puppy was etc. and as soon as I
had the money together to call him. We agreed upon the price and he wanted me to pay
R700.00 by last week Friday and the balance of R500.00 by today. I was told that his name
is Wesley Ridgway and that a further fee of R150.00 was to be paid to him for the safe
transportation of the dog via air as he was situated in Bloemfontein and I am situated in
Boksburg. The puppy would be delivered to my home by courier.

When I tried to call him the next day, his cellphone was unable so I sent him an e-mail to
his email address at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The following morning I received a
reply to my mail saying that I should call him on a different number. When I asked him
why, he said that he had a problem with his SIM card and that the reception in his area
was very bad.

Well, due to the fact that he trusted me, I trusted him and deposited R1,000.00 on
Thursday,7th April 2011 (in cash) into an FNB account in the name of T Victor. He had
previously sent me other bank details in the name of Bongani Brian at Nedbank.
When I asked why the details were different, he replied that he had two partners and
that it didn’t matter because they were partners.

Shortly after depositing the R1,000.00, I received an e-mail from “Animals Away” stating
that the animal needed a special crate and they required an amount of R2,150.00 (R2,000.00
being refundable upon delivery of the puppy).

I then called the “seller” Mr. Wesley Ridgway and said that I did not have that kind of money.
He said that if I paid another R1,000.00 into the FNB account, he would pay the balance of
the R1,150.00 in at the pet transport service and that I could refund him the next day when
I had received the R2,000.00 deposit back. He said he was prepared to do this so that the
puppy would not get hurt during transportation. We agreed to this and on Thursday afternoon,
I eagerly awaited the delivery of my new puppy.

By 15:30 on Thursday I received another email from the “pet transportation company” saying
that they had only received R1,000.00 and were unable to make contact with the seller. And
so the scenario continued until Friday as both the “Sellers” cell numbers and e-mail were unavailable and
I was being pressurized by the so called “pet transportation company” to pay the balance.

Late Friday afternoon I was told by the “transportation company” that the puppy was in Ravenswood
Boksburg and could only be delivered as soon as I had paid in the R1,150.00. I asked what would happen
if I didn’t pay the money and I was told that the puppy would be taken to an animal shelter. I then asked if I
could go to where she was to see her, before I paid in any more money, as it sounded like a scam.
I then received an SMS from “Dr. Morgan Palma” at the “transportation company” telling me not to contact
him again.

Still to no avail have I been able to reach anyone. I have reported the matter to KUSA as the
puppy was supposed to be KUSA Registered and I have subsequently established that Mr. Wesley
Ridgway is not a registered breeder with them and they have no record of the puppy.

I have established that the “pet transport company” Animals Away have NO agencies or contractors
in South Africa.

I have reported this scam on the All4women website but have only been told that they will “look into”
it.

I have reported Wesley Ridgway on yahoo for abusing his e-mail address ---- big surprise – it still
works !!!!

I have tried to report the abuse of the “pet transport company’s” email address at gmail but it
seems that there is NOWHERE to report it to.

I have also subsequently been to see the SPCA in Boksburg on Saturday,9 April 2011 to report
the matter.

(sensitive information submitted to us by the reader such as ID numbers and Bank account numbers have been excluded here for security reasons. We have submitted this information to the SAPS Internet Fraud division and await their response. Anyone requiring this information for investigation purposes may contact us)

Another of the 4-1-9 advance fee scams doing the rounds:


Dearest One,

I decided to contact you through this means because i need an honest person who will love and take good care of me and also who will be my guardian.

Please permit me to inform you of my desire to go into business relationship with you, after going through your profile and I prayed over it and selected your name among other names due to the nature of my proposal, which requires a reputable and trustworthy person? Someone who will be kind and sincere to me.

l am Miss Jessica Anoh, the only daughter of late Mr. and Mrs Basil Anoh. My father was a very wealthy cocoa merchant in Abidjan here, the economic capital of Ivory Coast; he was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their business meeting. My mother died on the 22nd may 1992 and my father took me so Special because l am Motherless.

Before the death of my father on 10th December 2007 in a private hospital here in Abidjan, he Secretly called me on his bedside, when I sat down to listen to him, he started crying, why?
(1) He complained that I am too young to be managing my life with no one to take care of me,

(2)That I have not finished my university education as he planned for me, he revealed to me
That he has a sum of US$ 7.5 Million Dollars (SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) left in a security vault here in Abidjan, that he used my name as the only daughter for his next of kin in deposit of the funds.

He also explained to me that it was because of this wealth that he was poisoned by his business associates, that l should seek for a GOD fearing foreign partner in a country of my choice where l will transfer this money and use it for proper investment purpose, that I must finish my university education by the help of a business partner abroad, that he or she should help me obtain a resident permit in his or her country.

He also gave standing instructions to the security company that the deposit must be transferred outside this country and that I must reach the age of 25 years before the deposit will be released to me. According to my father, the money was deposited as art works to avoid attracting attention to the deposit. I am now ready to do all these since my father my bread winner is no more. l am honorable seeking your assistance in the following ways.
(1) To serve as my guardian in your country while I will depend on your expert advice since lam a girl of 19 years?

(2) To make arrangement for me to come over to your country in order to further my university education and to secure a residential permit for me in your country. Moreover, l am willing to offer you 15% of the total sum as compensation for your assistance in the transfer of this deposit to your country. Furthermore, you can indicate your option towards assisting me as l believed that this project would be concluded within seven days you signify interest to assist me by contacting the security company.

Hoping to hearing from you soon. May God bless you as you extend your helping hand to the needy. Thank you for your understanding. Expecting to hear from you soon.
Best Regards
Jessica Anoh.