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Rediff.com  » News » The great South African Oprah Winfrey scam!

The great South African Oprah Winfrey scam!

Source: ANI
August 27, 2006 20:05 IST
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Scams are a frequent occurrence in South Africa, targeted mainly at the poor and uneducated. And the latest one was apparently fueled by publicity surrounding Winfrey's brief visit to the country to interview prospective pupils for the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls.

A crowd of about 500 people gathered in a community center in the eastern city of Grahamstown after being told that they had to make a simple payment of 1.40 dollars with the promise of then receiving 168 dollars per month for 10 years.

However, after carrying out an investigation, police officials confirmed that Winfrey knew nothing about it.

Although three women and five men were taken in for questioning, no arrests have yet been made.

"This process is believed to have started earlier this week. By word of mouth, the community was informed of this easy way of making money", E! Online quoted Eastern Cape police captain Mali Govender, as telling the South African Press Association.

"People were told they would pay $1.40 and Oprah Winfrey is going to pay you $168 a month for 10 years," the Govender said.

Govender said that police subsequently confiscated 160 applications and nearly 280 dollars, which was promptly returned to the would-be beneficiaries.

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Source: ANI
 
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