South Africans warned to stay away from these companies
The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has warned South African consumers to steer clear of 110 untraceable companies in the country, saying that they risk losing money.
The group updated its list of untraceable suppliers this week, adding 20 new companies to the 90 previously listed.
A full list of the 110 companies flagged by the NCC can be found here (via the NCC).
Untraceable suppliers are businesses that typically accept orders and payments for goods and services but fail to deliver and then disappear.
The NCC noted that the suppliers it has flagged and assessed operate across various industries, but all follow the same modus operandi.
“These suppliers accept orders and payments but fail to deliver, then disappear or shut down their websites or change their known addresses without notice,” the NCC said.
The suppliers have also been flagged by consumers for providing defective products with no way to return or replace them.
As a result, consumers are left with no recourse.
In previous updates, the NCC noted that some suppliers were impersonating legitimate businesses to defraud consumers.
The industries include auto parts, furniture, renewable energy, car dealerships, auto insurance, marketing and advertising, tobacco products, interior design, clothing, construction and truck repair services.
The 20 newly identified suppliers are based in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape, with some operating entirely online, making it even harder for consumers and authorities to track them, it said.
“The NCC warns consumers to exercise extra caution when dealing with these suppliers, as they may lose their hard-earned cash,” it said.
“Consumers are further encouraged to verify suppliers before making payments, be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true and report any suspicious activity.”
The NCC said that suppliers of goods and services must comply with the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) by providing accurate information, including physical address and contact details.
It previously warned that e-commerce is increasingly becoming a prime hunting ground for these kinds of operations.
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