SASSA clarifies links
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has released a statement identifying which groups the organisation deals with when payments are made to beneficiaries.
SASSA’s co-ordinator, Nandi Mosiya, said her organisation has no contractual dealings with Grindrod Bank, or Moneyline, since both are independent entities that are not contracted to SASSA.
Mosiya said the SASSA has issued several statements absolving itself from the activities of Grindrod Bank as a loan provider to SASSA’s clients, who are mainly pensioners.
“This is due to the number of complaints we’ve received about loans made by these loan providers to pensioners, which include scams targeting pensioners,” said Mosiya.
According to Mosiya, the SASSA condemns criminal activities by scammers who pose as SASSA employees in order to withdraw cash fraudulently from social beneficiaries’ accounts in cash or through debit orders.
In some cases, the fraudsters use the “proof of life” modus-operandi by visiting beneficiaries’ homes, produce forged SASSA identification cards and inform their victims that they were doing inspections to confirm whether the card holder is still alive.
They then ask for the SASSA card, identity documents and PIN numbers. Once in possession of these details, they then use the internet and withdraw money from the accounts. In some cases, they use these details to initiate unauthorised monthly debit orders on the accounts.
The SASSA, in collaboration with the police and other law enforcement agencies, has started high-level investigations into these scams and very soon these criminals will be put behind bars.
“We urge all SASSA beneficiaries to not give out personal details to people visiting their homes. The SASSA does not have any officials tasked to visit people’s homes and request beneficiary details,” said Ms Virginia Petersen, SASSA’s CEO.
The SASSA conducts its business strictly in marked SASSA offices and if people are in doubt, they can verify by calling 0800 6010 11 toll-free.
The SASSA payment card is still valid and there is no need to replace it with another one as some agents might incorrectly claim.
“We call upon the public to work together with the SASSA and the authorities in helping to expose these fraudsters by reporting them to the police or SASSA immediately. SASSA remains committed to eliminating any form of fraud or corruption that involves its name and its social grant services,” said Petersen.
A process is currently underway to introduce legislation that will make it difficult for service providers to institute debit orders on social grant accounts.
