South African Jobs and Employment Scams

Prepared by : Independent 
Article Classification: Types of Scams
Image courtesy: SAPAC Professionals and Contractors

Get in contact with SAPAC:
 Besoek | Visit https://sapac.co.za/
📑 Complete Form: Link (PRESS HERE) FOR SAPAC
[GOEIE INFORMASIE] SLUIT AAN! https://bit.ly/JoinSAPAC

Areas: Southern Africa, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Cape Winelands, Free State, Gauteng, North West Province, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Natal 

South African Jobs and Employment Scams

Scammers offer work so they can steal your money and personal information. They offer fake training before employment as well.

Stop and check any and all jobs that requires you to pay money to make money. It could be a scam.

Scammers offer jobs that pay well with low effort. But it’s only the scammer that will make money in the end. Many times the job doesn’t exist at all.

Scammers pretend to be hiring on behalf of high-profile companies and online shopping platforms. They also impersonate well-known recruitment agencies. Their goal is to steal your money and identity details.

They often ask for payment so you can start the role and get the income they’ve promised.

Don’t enter any arrangement that asks for up-front payment via bank transfer, Pay ID or cryptocurrency. It’s rare to get money back that is sent this way.

Warning signs it might be a scam

• A recruiter contacts you unexpectedly through text message or encrypted message platforms like WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram.
• You are told you can earn a high income while working from home and with little effort.
• The hiring process is quick. There’s no interview or discussion about your qualifications, experience, and references.
• You are told to top up an account with your own money or cryptocurrency to complete tasks.
• The job involves transferring money, making purchases, or receiving packages on behalf of someone else.
• You are required to pay a special 'recruitment fee’ or pay for training materials before you begin the job to make any money.

Steps you can take to protect yourself

• Don’t trust a job ad is real just because it appears on a trusted platform or website – scammers post fake ads too. If you come across a scammer, report it to the platform or agency.
• Never send money or give your private or personal information, bank credit card, online bank or cryptocurrency account details to anyone you have only met online, through social media, email or over the phone.
• Scammers may deceive you by giving you a small payment for completing a job or task. Never send your own money, you will never get it back.
• Know who you are dealing with. Contact the recruitment agency representatives using phone numbers you have sourced yourself online.

More safeguards

• Don’t be pressured to act quickly. A legitimate offer won’t require you to make a fast decision. If the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Don’t take payment or rewards to recruit other people.
• Be careful about including personal information such as your physical address or date of birth in your resume.
• Never send your identity documents or passport to an employer or recruitment firm, unless you are certain they are genuine.

Common Job Scams

• Ponzi Schemes
• Pyramid Schemes

Think you've been scammed?

1. Act fast to stop any further losses

Contact your bank or card provider immediately to report the scam. Ask them to stop any transactions.

Change passwords on all your devices and online accounts like email, banking, government sites and shopping sites. 

2. Report the Scam

Once you have had the opportunity to have secured your details, you should open up a SAPS Case number, you can help us to try and stop the scammers or to warn other by reporting the scam to us. Depending on the nature of the scam site with a case number it can be listed. 

3. Get help to recover

With your case number visit your nearest Department of Home Affairs and provide them with the information of your case including your signed affidavit. They should be able to capture the fact that your personal details may have been stolen and may be used for criminal activities. Visit their Website and make an appointment https://www.dha.gov.za/