KEEP YOUR CHILDREN AWAY FROM ADULT CHAT LINES.

We've received the following email from a concerned parent:

Hi,

My young son called an adult chat line 0- giving a false name and age. The number was toll free (086 111 4325). He was told his call would cost R100 and he would have to pay within a week. He misunderstood this, thinking it would be charged to his cell phone. Anyway, he made a couple of calls – this being on February 17, 2007. He received a call yesterday from a “Debt Collector” telling him he was wanted for fraud and that he needed to pay R2,100 into ABSA Account 4064803163 in the name of L. Carreira. My son immediately phoned me and told me he was “in trouble”. I called the chat line who gave me the number 039 312 0292. I subsequently called this number and spoke to “D.J. Viljoen” who claims to be a debt collector for “Our Way” – the chat line. He assured me his is a legitimate business and he would discount the sum (now referred to as R2,800) if it was paid by Friday. I told him that he was trying to collect monies from a minor and he was unfazed by that. I have now checked with the Debt Collection Council of South Africa and there is no-one registered in this name. I suspect this is a scam. Some kids are probably terrified to tell their parents and probably do crazy things to raise the money to pay their “debt”. I’d love to know how R100 can turn into a “debt” of R2,000+ and whether even a registered debt collector can legitimately pursue a minor for money.

Thank you for this service

Another email we received from a concerned parent in regards to the same scam:

I have just read your crime alert, and “D.J. Viljoen is back demanding money for a 'telephone call made' requesting and erotic account", asking for the monies to be deposited in an ABSA account 4068162563 under the name of OUR WAY his telephone numbers are 039 3157224 and 0796184614.

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