SARU have alerted the public to a cellphone scam aimed at rugby supporters after receiving a number of calls from concerned people who have received SMSs telling them they have won considerable sums of money.

The SMSs apparently claim that the recipients have won a Rugby World Cup promotion run by the International Rugby Board (IRB). Neither the IRB – nor SARU – has run such a promotion and the SMS should be deleted.

Typically, the message reads: “Congratulation!!!Your cell Number.has won 960,000.In the IRB Rugby 2011 Promotions with RefA543B. Call Mr.Antony Smith on [cell number], to activate & claim”.

Members of the public who have called the number have been asked for their banking details or home address or to purchase cellphone airtime, which they are told not to load.

“We can categorically confirm that no competition has ever existed of this nature and that the SMS should be ignored,” said a SARU spokesman.