Residents are being urged to exercise caution after two unemployed Alberton women were targeted in an apparent job scam involving the name of the former Netcare Union Hospital.

Netcare Union Hospital in Alberton closed permanently in April 2022. Despite this, scammers appear to be using the hospital’s name to deceive job seekers.

On June 1, Hilda Mabiya visited the Alberton Record offices to place an advertisement seeking employment. She paid for the advertisement and received a receipt.

Two days later, on June 3, she received a phone call from a man who identified himself as Dr Karryn Davidson from Union Hospital.

The caller claimed that he had learned about her job search through the Alberton Record and offered her a job opportunity.

The man informed Mabiya that she needed to deposit R650 at a PEP store at Newmarket Mall for a work uniform before she could begin employment. He also asked for her clothing size.

Excited by the prospect of finding work, Mabiya began to believe the offer. However, as she was unemployed and did not have the money, she asked her mother for assistance. Her mother provided the funds.

Before making the payment, Mabiya decided to visit Alberton Record on the morning of June 4 to verify the information.

The receptionist at Alberton Record informed her that no representative had visited the offices to obtain her details or discuss employment opportunities.

To investigate further, Alberton Record contacted the caller and questioned why payment for a uniform was required before any interview had taken place and before the applicant had submitted a CV.

The caller responded that free uniforms were only provided for government positions and that she would need to pay for her own uniform. He failed to answer several other questions regarding the recruitment process.

When Alberton Record requested an address where the payment could be delivered in person, the caller immediately ended the conversation.

In a similar incident, another job seeker, Nonhlanhla Hlongwane, visited Alberton Record on June 8 after also receiving what appeared to be a fraudulent job offer linked to the former hospital. She, too, was allegedly asked to make a payment before any formal recruitment process had taken place and narrowly avoided being scammed.

When she tried to call the same number in the morning for more information about the payment, it no longer existed and went straight to voicemail.

The incidents have raised concerns that scammers may be obtaining information from public job-seeking advertisements and using it to target vulnerable individuals searching for employment.

Residents are reminded that legitimate employers generally conduct interviews, review applications and provide clear company information.

Job seekers should be cautious of anyone asking for money up front for uniforms, training, administration fees or other employment-related expenses.

Community members are encouraged to verify job offers carefully and report any suspicious activity to the relevant authorities.

Alberton residents are urged to remain vigilant and to share this warning with family and friends who may be searching for employment.

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