• The Department of Employment and Labour says that fraudsters have created fake job advertisements in order to steal money from people looking for jobs.
• Some are even using fake social media accounts of Minister Thulas Nxesi to trick people.
• It is illegal for employers to ask for money when you apply for a job, the department says.

South Africa’s Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has issued a warning to anyone currently looking for a job to beware of scammers, especially those online.

A new scam has emerged called “Youth Employment Programme” which masquerades as a government initiative but is actually a way to swindle vulnerable individuals out of their money.

South Africa has one of, in not the, highest unemployment rate in the world at 32.90 percent as of September 2022. As such, thousands of individuals are constantly looking to find work and can be easily preyed upon by scammers and threat actors.

“The department wishes to warn the public to be cautious of newly-found messiahs, who promise members of the public paradise. The department does not have a ‘Youth employment programme’,” DEL said in a statement on Thursday seen by SA News.

“In the latest scam, the scammers are promising to reward participants in the so-called programme with obscene stipends. But before this can happen, a potential participant in the programme has to pay a deposit fee at [a] retailer and also furnish personal details,” it explained.

The false website being used by the scammers seems to be quite intricate, including department branding and well-written instructions meant to trick applicants into sending money. You can check out what the scam looks like in the tweet below:

Of course, once the scammers receive the money they will take it and not provide further information for a job position. It is also easier for scammers to continue to steal money from you once you have given personal information, such as banking details.

The DEL says that scammers are also using fake social media profiles, such as of department minister Thulas Nxesi, to defraud and trick vulnerable users. This is a common form of attack used by fraudsters in the country.

Finally, the department reiterates that it is illegal in South Africa for potential employers to ask you for money if you are applying for a job. This is something that only criminals and scammers will do.

If you apply for a job and are asked to provide payments, usually for something like “admin fees”, it is very likely that you are beings scammed.

“Under any circumstances, if unsure what action to take, go to any of the department’s more than 125 offices or labour centres and mobile service points that are spread throughout the country for more information,” the department urges.

“Be alert and protect yourself. Do not part away with your hard earned cash and personal details. Do not pay for a job offer,” it concludes.