Many cases of online fraud are being reported to the Hartbeespoort and Brits police daily where consumers are scammed by bogus shops.

This week an urgent warning by the National Consumer Commission (NCC) urges consumers against transactions with the online shop, Manicaa.
“It is a scam operation, purporting to be an online business,” said spokesperson Phetho Ntaba.”The Commission received several complaints from consumers alleging that they have purchased goods from Manicaa and did not receive their goods. Others alleged that they either received incorrect items, incomplete orders or defective goods with no assistance from the supplier. Upon following up on these complaints, the NCC’s investigation hit a snag as Manicaa is untraceable.”
According to its website, Manicaa “sells” high end brands of items like kitchen appliances and electronics, luxurious perfumes, clothing, baby products and car parts, to name a few.
Acting National Consumer Commissioner, Thezi Mabuza says the conduct of Manicaa is not in the spirit of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA).
“The physical address on their website suggests that Manicaa is operating from Midrand, while the map on the “contact us” page suggests that Manicaa is based in Canada. The NCC’s preliminary findings indicate that Manicaa is a scam run by Webster Kutsawa and Clara Kutsawa. While the NCC’s investigation is ongoing, the Commission advises consumers not to transact with Manicaa or these individuals. As e-commerce changes the way consumers transact, consumers are urged to exercise extra caution as online scams are on the rise.”
Before transacting online, do the following: Check reviews other than those on the website of the store. Analyse the overall look of the website for discrepancies, and if the price is too good to be true, it is too good to be true!