What began as a promising job opportunity ended in heartbreak for a Western Cape mother of two after a scammer preyed on her desperation to find work.  

The 54-year-old woman, a former financial manager, resigned from her job in Polokwane in October last year to relocate to Langebaan.  

“We moved into our new home in December, and I began looking for remote jobs in January through different career sites. I have more than 30 years of experience in the financial sector, but despite all my efforts, I was not successful in securing a job,” she explained.  

She believes her age or the area she moved to may have contributed to her unsuccessful job search.  

However, on June 10, she came across a Facebook post from a company looking for freelancers to rewrite letters.  All she had to do to apply was respond to the post in the comments section with her name and contact number.  

“When I looked at the post, it all seemed legitimate. After submitting my contact information, I received a WhatsApp message from a woman who said she was from the hiring company,” she said.  

She added that the woman told her she would be required to rewrite two letters a day and would be paid R180 per letter.

“The woman also told me that, to begin, I had to pay R450 to register with the company and receive training. I was hesitant, so I did not accept the offer immediately, but I continued chatting with the woman on WhatsApp.  

“I asked her if it was a scam and explained that I am a mother in desperate need of work. She assured me it was not a scam and said she understood my situation because she was also a mother. Looking back, it’s clear that she was playing on my vulnerability,” she added.  

Having been unemployed for months, the R450 represented far more than just a registration fee. It was money she could ill afford to lose, making the scam an especially painful blow for her family.  

After discussing the prospective job with her husband, the woman said she accepted the job on Thursday (July 2).  

Red flags appear  

“I transferred the R450 via eWallet to a number she gave me, but my bank also required her name and surname. She gave me her details, and although her surname did not match the one on the Facebook page, I made the transfer, and once the money went through, the excuses began.”  

She said the supposed recruiter claimed she was waiting for someone else to send her the letters before forwarding them.  

“I waited for a while, but there was no response. I sent messages and tried calling throughout the day, but she still did not respond. I realised it was a scam and reported the incident to the police later in the day. I also submitted 38 pages of our WhatsApp messages, which I hope will help with the investigation.”  

Reflecting on the incident, the woman said she now recognises the warning signs she overlooked and hopes others can learn from her experience.  

“I want to tell job seekers to be careful and stick to well-known recruitment companies when applying for a job,” she added.  

Constable Ndakhe Gwala, the spokesperson for the Western Cape police confirmed that the woman was swindled.  

“The victim responded to an advertisement about freelance work on Facebook. The suspect requested a registration fee of R450 before disappearing after receiving the payment.”  

She urges job seekers to remain vigilant, report suspicious advertisements to the police and never pay money to secure employment.  

Too good to be true 

The Southern African Fraud Prevention Services (SAFPS) urged job seekers to prioritise using reputable job platforms and professional networks, rather than opportunities shared on messaging and social media platforms.  

“Critically assess every job advertisement, ; if the salary, benefits, or working hours seem too good to be true, they probably are. Legitimate employers will not request upfront payment for applications or processing fees and should not ask for sensitive information such as ID numbers or banking details before an interview.” 

 The organisation advised job seekers to insist on a face-to-face or on-camera interview via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. 

“The SAFPS continues to monitor the growing prevalence of fraud, particularly as technology enables increasingly sophisticated scams,” said the organisation. 
 
Fraudulent job advertisements can be reported to SAFPS via the Yima website at yima.org.za. 

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