The Free State Police have warned members of the public about a scam currently circulating in which unsuspecting victims are being defrauded of large sums of money.
A senior official from the Department of Home Affairs in Kroonstad recently discovered that her cellphone number had been hacked and was being used by unknown suspects to trick people into paying money in exchange for promised employment opportunities or government contracts.
So far, police have been made aware of several victims who collectively lost approximately R150 000 through this fraudulent activity.
The South African Police Service urges community members to remain vigilant and to never pay any money for employment opportunities or government tenders. All legitimate recruitment and procurement processes within government departments follow official procedures and do not require any form of payment.
Anyone who may have been contacted by or received suspicious messages from the cellphone number 073 523 1218 is urged to immediately contact the investigating officer, Sergeant Samuel Seloana from the Provincial Commercial Cyber Crime Unit, at 073 925 4882.
The police continue to investigate the matter and warn the public to be cautious of scams of this nature.
