Verify orders with the Department of Public Works
Various businesses have saved thousands of rands because they heeded a call by the Department of Public Works to always verify orders received from fraudsters posing as department officials.
The department has been warning the public about a scam targeting both big and small companies which involves scammers using false addresses and posing as departmental employees, offering companies “tenders”.
“They target enterprises and call them with a claim that the “department has awarded them contracts,” said the department in a statement.
According to the department, the scam is being carried out by a syndicate of sophisticated fraudsters who are being sought after.
The department would like to emphasize that the public must be extremely vigilant. When in any doubt, they should verify all relevant details with the Department on these numbers:
012 406 1463/ 2046/ 1439.
“We cannot over-emphasize that suppliers should not deliver their goods on the basis of orders sent by so-called DPW officials. We have clear procurement processes that are transparent and professional. We deal with suppliers on our database only,” the department said.
