Warning over new maternity scam hitting South Africa

The Department of Employment and Labour has issued a warning over a new scam targeting individuals who have applied for maternity benefits.

The department said that scammers are impersonating department officials. They contact clients and their employers and request payment to release supposed “vouchers or funds.”

“The scammers typically request the UIF beneficiary to send money through a bank and then send the pin or buy a voucher and send the details to him, claiming it is required to process the benefits,” said the Department.

“They are obtaining information by deceiving employers into believing that they represent the Department and asking for personal details of employees who have applied for these benefits.”

“Unfortunately, some clients have already lost money to this scheme, and there is concern that the scam could spread to other regions.”

The Department added that it does not issue vouchers or charge clients for its services.

It also does not call clients to request information already provided in the application process.

All of the Department’s services are free, and clients should not share any personal financial information in response to unsolicited calls.

In the event of any suspicious communication, the Department added that clients should contact the Department immediately to verify the legitimacy of any inquiries.

Other scams to look out for

The Department of Labour is not the first government entity to warn of scams in recent days.

The Department of Human Settlements recently warned the public to be vigilant about relentless housing scams on social media. 

Scammers falsely claim to be department employees who can assist with government-subsidised housing applications. Their attacks target citizens who are offered RDP houses around the country for R100,000.

The Department noted that to qualify for a fully subsidised government house, applicants must meet specific criteria, such as being South African citizens, first-time homeowners, and having a combined household income of less than R3,500 per month.

The Department added that applications for RDP/BNG houses can only be processed by the Provincial Departments of Human Settlements and municipalities, and no other organisation is mandated to facilitate this on behalf of the government. 

Citizens were told to exercise caution and immediately report suspicious social media accounts to the Department or municipalities.

Looking beyond government scams and what consumers should look for over the coming weeks, consumers should act cautiously during Black Friday and its associated sales.

Common Black Friday scams often advertise goods at highly discounted prices to lure unsuspecting consumers.

As these goods do not exist, the customer makes the purchase, and the seller stops responding and disappears with the customer’s money.

This scam is shared on social media, with Facebook Marketplace being particularly popular for scammers. 

Moreover, fraudsters can create fake e-commerce websites or send phishing emails that copy well-known brands. Unsuspecting customers then share their personal information and bank details. 

Many of these websites appear to be from well-known retailers, with small domain deviations that are hard to spot.

Read: The only province in South Africa where more people are unemployed than working.