Between March and October 2020, reports of fake job listings soared by 70%, according to SAFERjobs, a UK-based organisation that tracks employment fraud.
Criminals often use fake ads to con unsuspecting and desperate job hunters in SA by charging “administration fees”, “upfront payments to secure employment” or asking for payment for “police clearance” checks.
Insurance company Dialdirect on Tuesday urged South Africans to be vigilant.
“A convincing criminal, combined with a lack of healthy scepticism on the part of the victim, makes this kind of crime a frequent occurrence,” said spokesperson Bianca de Beer.
She said the most important rule when looking for a job was “do your research”.
“Criminals rely on you trusting them too easily, making rash decisions and guaranteeing them a great pay day. Rather be sceptical, take your time, apply the rules and play your part in avoiding nasty surprises during your job hunting.”
Ref: soweta nlive news/south-africa/2021-04-14-fake-government-job-ads-on-facebook-lure-desperate-south-africans/