South Africa's basketball community

Basketball Scam to get foreign players to South Africa

By on September 5, 2010 in News

Over the last couple of weeks, Mybasketball has received a number of enquiries from players from overseas wanting to know about the Professional League in South Africa. This article is mainly to give such players and anyone else affected by such a scam the real story.

HERE ARE THE FACTS:

  1. There is NO PROFESSIONAL League in South Africa and there hasn’t been one for years.
  2. The name Myles Delport is being used to give legitimacy to the scam
  3. Kwazulu Marlins name is also used to legitimize the whole saga.
  4. <kwazulumarlinsbasketballteam@gmail.com> (CONMAN EMAIL ADDRESS)
  5. topfameoverseabasketball7@gmail.com (CONMAN EMAIL ADDRESS)
  6. The name of Richard Marante keeps popping up in the Scam and I am unable to determine if he is legitimate or another victim in this scam.

First let’s look at how this scam is perpetrated. I have left the names and email addresses of the conman in the hope that if you get a similar email you will recognize them.Below is the email correspondence between a so called agent and one of the potential victims:

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: DaWaun Wells
Date: Thu, Aug 19, 2010 at 11:39 AM
Subject: here is all the emails
To: <>

I have copied and pasted all the emails I have got from the guy who acts as the agent.  All his response are highlighted

Richard Marante who is located in Durban South Africa

His number +27-847199339


Then I will forward u the email of the guy who is posing as Myles Delport who I have contacted the real one and he said this can’t be true.
So after you do your research, can you let me know if it’s legit or not cause if its not these guys need to be stopped because this can mess up the countries name as a whole for basketball. Thanks man take care and get back to me when u can
——————————————————————————————————————————————

First Email received on Aug 14 at 5:01am

Dear potential player
I saw  your information on chanceforall sport site that you are looking for a team oversea, Am a basketball representative from state, am currently base in
Australia, currently a team in Australia are looking for potential US basketball player, who have what it take to play on the court.

They are looking to replace outgoing players for the 2010-2011 season.

If you are interested email me at topfameoverseabasketball7@gmail.com

On Sat, Aug 14, 2010 at 11:05 AM,
DaWaun Wells <<>> wrote:

Just received your email and I am def interested in trying to play in Aussie

DaWaun Wells
——————

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 09:35:34 +0100
Subject: Re:
DaWaun Wells
From:
topfameoverseabasketball7@gmail.com
To:

Can you be able to take care of your flight ticket.

————————————–
On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 5:15 AM, DaWaun Wells <> wrote:


What team is interested in me and I don’t know if I can pay for the flight?


————————————–
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:31:18 +0100
Subject: Re:
DaWaun Wells
From:
topfameoverseabasketball7@gmail.com
To:

Thanks for your mail, the the team offering a 2 years contract with the following salary and benefit attached to the contract.

1.R35,000 per month which is equivalent to $5000

2.Well furnished 2bedroom apartment

3.Transportation(private care)

4.Feeding

5.Travel Allowance

6.Insurance

7.Match Bonus+Winning Bonus

I already spoke with the team that I have couple of Good foreign players from U.S and they are interested and willing to work with me provided my players are good on the court and obedient.

The team is currently upgrading their website ahead of 2010-2011 season; it will be completed as soon as the season kicks off.

But you can view the team previous webpage on Eurobasket.

http://www.africabasket.com/team.asp?Cntry=South Africa&Team=408&Page=4

If you are interested you should call me at +27-847199339

The point now is that the team want player to take care of their own flight ticket and every other expenses and when they arrive here they will be reimbursed back

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 5:15 AM, DaWaun Wells < > wrote:


What team is interested in me and I don’t know if I can pay for the flight?


————————

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:38:25 +0100


Subject: Re:
DaWaun Wells
From:
topfameoverseabasketball7@gmail.com
To:
<>

My name is Richard Marante, I am located in Durban South Africa, The team I told you at first was from Australia, but the called and told me that their roaster was filled, because I didn’t get them players on time, the 2nd offer is from South Africa, The team is located in Durban with it head office in Johannesburg.

As for the team webpage on africabasket, all you have to do is copy and paste the link on your browser

http://www.africabasket.com/team.asp?Cntry=South Africa&Team=408&Page=4

I have already spoken with the team about you and they told to forward your players resume and online game video. All you have to do now is email the team your full players resume and online game video.

Contact Person: Delport Myles

Email address:

Thanks

Richard Marante

———————-

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 6:16 PM, DaWaun Wells <<>> wrote:


Ok I just tried to call you.  You call me at +17089693027 or +17082970899.  The team didn’t come upon eurobasket.  You are in South Africa right because I can see who looks at my website.  Is the team in Africa or Aussie? You also didn’t tell me your name or the team name
or what city the team is located?


———————-

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:38:25 +0100


Subject: Re:
DaWaun Wells
From:
topfameoverseabasketball7@gmail.com
To:
<>

My name is Richard Marante, I am located in Durban South Africa, The team I told you at first was from Australia, but the called and told me that their roaster was filled, because I didn’t get them players on time, the 2nd offer is from South Africa, The team is located in Durban with it head office in Johannesburg.

As for the team webpage on africabasket, all you have to do is copy and paste the link on your browser

http://www.africabasket.com/team.asp?Cntry=South Africa&Team=408&Page=4

I have already spoken with the team about you and they told to forward your players resume and online game video. All you have to do now is email the team your full players resume and online game video.

Contact Person: Delport Myles

Email address:

Thanks

Richard Marante

———————–

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 11:15 PM, DaWaun Wells <<>> wrote:


Ok I have just sent them my resume.  What is the next step?


———————–

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 06:40:42 +0100

Subject: Re:
DaWaun Wells
From:
topfameoverseabasketball7@gmail.com
To:
<>

Am looking for player who don’t have agent, who I can represent fully.

Next is for you to pray for the team to approve your resume


——————————–

On 8/18/10,
DaWaun Wells <<>> wrote:

my contract is not exclusive with the agent until he gets me a team.  Myles Delport is a headmaster at a school right?

——————-
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:41:32 +0200

Subject: Re:
DaWaun Wells
From:
topfameoverseabasketball7@gmail.com
To:
<>

No? What do you mean

————————

On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 6:19 PM, DaWaun Wells <<>> wrote:

This is I talk to Myles Delport and he said the league hasn’t run for two years so what have you been talking about

—————————-

On Thu, Aug 19, 2010 at 4:32 AM, DaWaun Wells <<>> wrote:

Man you are lying about the league its not even up and running and I have seen the scam about South Africa

————————–

if am lying, then stop writing me, you don’t have a respect

While this was going on the bogus team got a hold of DaWaun and sent him this email:

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:20:29 +0100
Subject: Re: Player from Richard Marante
From:
<kwazulumarlinsbasketballteam@gmail.com> (conman email address)
To:
<>

Hello DaWaun Wells

I saw your online game video and resume, am impressed. I spoke with Mr. Richard Marante today and he told you are such a good player. The point now is that I told me we wont be giving out ticket to play for now, but we will reimburse back to them what ever expenses the make, reason is that we have made so much expenses on reconstruction the new basketball complex and we are more concern on completing the project.

we are sending out an attached form, were you need to fill every provisional details about you this will enable us file for all documents that will enable you enter south Africa.

After which we shall forward to your representative the team contract agreement to enable you and your agent Mr. Marante go through.

Thanks

Delport Myles

On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 11:02 PM, DaWaun Wells < > wrote:

Delport Myles,

My name is DaWaun Wells and I’m an America player.  I’m referred by Richard Marante.  Here is the website of my resume it has all my online game video, highlights, Playing Career.  I’m very interested in coming to South Africa look forward to hearing from you.

DaWaun Wells

Foz Sports and Event Agency

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:21:34 +0100
Subject: ATTACHED IS A FORM IN A MICROSOFT FORMAT
From: <kwazulumarlinsbasketballteam@gmail.com> (conman email address)
To: <<>>


ATTACHED IS A FORM IN A MICROSOFT FORMAT

On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 6:20 PM, DELPORT MYLES <<kwazulumarlinsbasketballteam@gmail.com> (conman email address) >(conman email address) wrote:

hello DaWaun Wells

I saw your online game video and resume, am impress. I spoke with Mr. Richard Marante today and he told you are such a good player. The point now is that I told me we wont be giving out ticket to play for now, but we will reimburse back to them what ever expenses the make, reason is that we have made so much expenses on reconstruction the new basketball complex and we are more concern on completing the project.

We are sending out an attached form, were you need to fill every provisional details about you this will enable us file for all documents that will enable you enter south Africa.

After which we shall forward to your representative the team contract agreement to enable you and your agent Mr. Marante go through.

thanks

delport Myles

As part of the research to get to the bottom of this, I sent an email to Myles Delport, the real one and this is the response I got:

Hi Myles,

I got a message from a player in the US saying that he had been contacted by an agent saying that there was a pro team in KZN interested. They used your name in most communication and I wanted to know if this is a scam or not.

The particular player is also worried that this might be a scam and was busy doing some research on the matter.

Kind regards

Victor

MYLES DELPORT

to me

Hi Victor

The player in question did contact me and I told him it must be a scam as there is no pro team in KZN, some one is obviously using my name to legitimize the scam, they are getting their information from Afribasket I think. Please assure the player that it is most definitely a scam.

Regards

Myles




Victor Shakineza

to MYLES

show details Aug 19

I told him it was a scam, but this is the second or third email that I get regarding this.. It’s a concern ..

Do you want me to email me the emails that were sent between the various parties?

Hope  you are well, are you still involved in basketball?

ciao,V

MYLES DELPORT

to me

show details Aug 19

Hi Victor

No don’t email me, perhaps just put up a warning on your web site if you don’t mind, I don’t know how else to combat it, some of my friends from the USA have also been emailed with the same questions.

I am still involved but at a low level as nothing seem to get off the ground here, but we are looking at trying to organize the schools down here and get our house in order.

Cheers

Myles

As you can see this is an elaborate Scam to try and lure these players to South Africa but to what end??? I hope that this helps clear up some of the questions we receive in a lot of the emails lately.

Article by Victor Shakineza with information received from DaWaun Wells and Myles Delport

Subscribe

If you enjoyed this article, subscribe now to receive more just like it.

There is 1 Brilliant Comment

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. ballinmylifeaway says:

    hey, im a friend of dawaun and know about the whole story and this is becoming a serious issue. one of my other friends wrote me that he also received emails about playing in africa…they tried it the same way. a team is looking for a player, send me ur resume, then they are interested, but you have to pay your own flight ticket and they never tell you any name of the team! luckily my friend asked me about the whole situation and i could warn him about it because i knew about the scam.

Top