AP

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The SA Rugby Union and Cricket South Africa have warned about a scam in the Western Cape involving a conman pretending to be a sports official.

“There is a scam doing the rounds in which somebody makes a booking at a restaurant on behalf of the Proteas, usually using the name of Paul Harris, and then endeavours to get money out of the restaurant by various fraudulent means,” Cricket SA (CSA) said in a statement on Monday.

In January, the SA Rugby Union (Saru) sent a similar statement, in an attempt to protect itself from the conman, who called himself Craig Adams.

“At least two Cape Town establishments have been approached to take bookings for large groups from someone purporting to be 'chair, organising committee, Saru',” the rugby body said.

“In one instance, a Cape Town restaurant received a booking for a meal for 27 people on the strength of an apparently forged 'proof of payment'. In the other, a booking was made for 36 people.”

Saru said the “proof of payment” was then used to claim overpayment for the forthcoming booking. The fraudster requested reimbursement into his account to ensure his party was able to pay for transport to fulfil the booking.

Saru said it had no employee named Craig Adams, nor did it operate the e-mail domain theboks(at)therugby.co.za, which the fraudster had apparently used to lend credibility to the scam.

It said it was making enquiries with a view to referring the matter to the SA Police Service.

Saru spokesman Andy Colquhoun said the federation had managed to avoid being defrauded.

“Neither Saru nor CSA have been scammed. We're actually trying to help other people avoid being scammed,” Colquhoun said.

CSA spokesman Michael Owen-Smith said the cricket body had also been targeted by a fraudster in the Western Cape, who was believed to be the same person.

“He was at a restaurant in Stellenbosch but he never got away with anything because he was considered a suspicious character,” Owen-Smith said. – Sapa