Mpumalanga SAPS urges students to be vigilant of scammers
The police said as the higher institutions start with the academic year, scammers target innocent students. They warned them not to fall prey.
The Mpumalanga SAPS has cautioned members of the public to be wary of fraudsters targeting students who are eager to further their education at higher institutions.
On Saturday February 10, a provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, said, “The academic year has started, and prospective students and their parents are running around trying to secure admission and accommodation at various tertiary institutions. Fraudsters often take advantage of this period and target the needy by promising to make their dreams come true. Some desperate students and parents are vulnerable and accept these offers with both hands.”
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According to Mdhluli, some of the scammers convince their victims that they are well connected to higher authorities in the learning institutions, while others impersonate employees of these institutions.
“After gaining trust from their targets, the fraudsters will then solicit bribes from these desperate individuals in exchange for fake admission and bogus accommodation. Parents are therefore warned not to bet on the losing horse by depositing their hard-earned cash into the personal accounts of these scammers or to send money via money markets,” Mdhluli explained.
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The police said parents are urged to make background checks of tertiary learning institutions, as some of them are non-existent. They recommend that before one makes payments to any institution, they must verify the authenticity of the admission letter.
