South African cricketers have become victims of financial fraud schemes in the country, prompting their Board to advise restaurants to double-check before accepting bookings made in the names of the players.
In the latest such scheme, someone 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, according to CSA executive consultant Michael Owen-Smith.
"This is a scam and has nothing to do either with the Proteas or Cricket South Africa," said Owen-Smith as he requested local media to publicise this to avoid unsuspecting restaurants falling prey in their eagerness to be associated with the national cricket squad.
"Any bookings would only be made by a senior member of team management. At the moment, the Proteas squad is dispersed around the country and will be leaving at the end of this week for New Zealand so will not be in a position to make any team bookings," Owen-Smith added.