Desperate times call for desperate measures. Not surprisingly, most of us would grab the opportunity with both hands when offered a learnership in tough economic times. Especially when everything sounds above board. But, even so, remember that when something seems too good to be true, it probably is. A woman from Parys learnt a hard lesson when she became the victim of a scam this week. The scammer first called the newspaper, pretending to be someone who was starting a new business in town. He said he had some job opportunities and left his number, should anyone be inte- rested. A woman who heard of the opportunity called him and he told her that he works for Correctional Services. He said he was responsible for organising a learnership. The budget was for 25 people, but only 20 had registered. If she was interested, she could send copies of her ID and CV. He would even send the questions that would be asked in the interview, and the answers to the ques- tions.
She only had to pay R2,500 for a medical certificate that was required. It was a lot of money, but the motivation was the rush to get a certificate in time. The money had to be deposited at Spar. She then had to get her uniform at Correctional Services and give the Pin for the money she had paid for the medical certificate. Needless to say, there was no uniform, no money, no sign of the scammer – and the R2,500 was gone, without even giving the Pin of the deposit to anyone. In February 2020, Correctional Services also warned the public to be cautious of a learnership scam. The fraudulent recruitment scam was run on various social media sites using the Department of Correctional Services’ name.
The fake messages required people to make payments to access the opportunities. The Department of Correctional Services once again said it did not charge applicants for any employment opportunities within the department. Correctional Services advised the public that when posts or learnership opportunities become available, it would advertise such opportunities through reputable platforms, including its website and mainstream media.
Take caution not to fall prey to scams by depositing money into a stranger’s account. Do not share your personal information over the phone or via email if you are not absolutely sure of the source. Report these illegal activities to law enforcement agencies.
