Eskom scam alert for South Africa

Eskom is the latest major company to warn of employment-related scams in South Africa, joining the likes of Discovery Bank and Capitec.

In a post on Twitter/X, Eskom warned the public about recruitment scams regarding fake vacancies for the company.

The state-owned utility said that all Eskom vacancies are posted on its website: http://eskom.co.za.

For those who do encounter scams, Eskom asked customers to report them on its toll-free crime line at 0800 11 27 22 or email them at [email protected].

Eskom is not the first major institution to warn of employment scams, with Discovery Bank also highlighting their prevalence recently.

Discovery Bank said that the scam often entails fraudsters advertising employment opportunities, particularly on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Victims are often asked to pay a small fee to secure a job, and, may in future be asked to make or receive further payments.

The funds that these ‘recruits’ receive are often from other victims of similar scams and are then transferred to other accounts at the instruction of the so-called employer.

Capitec also highlighted the trend, which is commonly seen as part of advance fee scams.

“These scams require victims to pay a fee upfront for a job, loan, prize, or inheritance that doesn’t exist. This includes job scams, often via platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram,” said Capitec.

“Victims are lured by offers of easy money through simple tasks but end up paying fees to scammers.”

Sticking in the realm of employment, Capitec also warned customers to watch out for Work-from-Home (WFH) scams. 

Capitec said that scammers trick victims into making multiple payments under the guise of investing or trading, often referred to as ‘Pig Butchering.’

Indeed said that there are seven things that job-seekers can look out for to determine whether a job is a WFH scam:

• The job is too good to be true.
• There is little information on the company.
• A second contact cannot confirm the legitimacy of the job offer.
• There are warnings online.
• The employer is overly eager to hire.
• You have to pay to work.
• The employer communicates poorly.

Other scams to keep an eye out for

Employment-related scams are just the tip of the iceberg in South Africa, with criminals using several other tactics to take funds from victims.

Phishing and vishing scams also remain widespread in South Africa, with criminals using fake emails, texts, or calls to trick victims into revealing sensitive information like passwords or one-time pins (OTPs).

Nedbank previously said that scammers often pose as bank representatives or trusted entities, creating a false sense of urgency to extract personal details.

SIM-swap fraud also continues to increase, with fraudsters duplicating a victim’s SIM card by deceiving mobile service providers, which allows them to intercept banking OTPs.

South African Banking Risk Information Centre reported a 63% increase in such incidents in recent years, with average financial losses escalating.

Capitec also told customers to monitor mobile network disruptions closely, as this could be a signal of a potential SIM swap in progress.

ATM fraud, such as card skimming and distraction tactics, also remains a huge problem. Criminals will often pose as helpful bystanders and then switch cards or steal PINs.

Standard Bank said that consumers should use ATMs in secure, well-lit areas and avoid accepting assistance from strangers.

Online shopping scams have also surged alongside e-commerce growth. Fraudsters will often create fake websites to steal payment details or deliver substandard products.

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