Small Business Department slams scammers
No employee of the Department of Small Business Development will request payment via email.
THE Department of Small Business Development has warned SMMEs to beware of fraud after an unknown company requested food producers and agro-processors to send proposals to them via email.
The Minister of Small Business Development, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the information is fake.
“The department wishes to remind the public that it has issued RFIs for related food products on its official website and has no affiliation with these other entities. Please be advised that the department will not be launching any live market access session on Facebook and further wishes to state categorically that no official has been requested to hold a live market session,” he said.
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Requests for payment over email should rise red flags, she added.
“No employee of the Department of Small Business Development is paid either through emails, inboxes or direct messages for services rendered on behalf of the department. The facilitation to access services for SMMEs is done for free,” said Ntshavheni.
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Anyone who receives a suspicious request is urged to report the incident to the Covid-19 hotline: 086 677 7867 or send an e-mail to info@dsbd.gov.za.
To access valid information from the department, visit: www.dsbd.gov.za; www.sefa.org.za; www.seda.org.za; or www.mybindu.org.za.
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