Hoax cancer test result trauma

IN what may be a case of an exceptional coincidence or a cruel, planned phishing attempt, the life of a Nelson Mandela Bay businesswoman awaiting the results of a cancer test was turned upside-down last week after she received a hoax positive diagnosis.

Debbie Pretorius, who runs the Ad Empire advertising agency from her Walmer home, was driven into a state of panic on Tuesday after she received an e-mail from what appeared to be a medical institution which informed her that her blood test results pointed to cancer. At that time, Pretorius was awaiting the results of a blood test which had been requested through a St George's Hospital gynaecologist.

The test, according to Pretorius, was directed at determining whether she had developed a specific type of cancer which "when detected, would already be at an advanced and incurable stage". - Shaun Gillham