THE UNEMPLOYMENT Insurance Fund (UIF), an entity of the national Department of Employment and Labour, is warning communities about a new scam doing the rounds on social media.
UIF spokesperson Trevor Hattingh said in the scam, unsuspecting social media users are urged to pay almost R300 to get more than R21,000 after registering.
“In a written message circulating on social media, scammers are claiming that an amount of R21,785 is due and ready to be paid out after a ‘UIF Registration and Clearance’ amount of R298.67 is paid to them,” said Hattingh.
“For the record, all UIF services are free of any charge and the fund will never request any money for its services or claims.”
Hattingh encouraged community members who have been targeted to report the fraud attempts.
“Anyone who receives any message or information contrary to this, including the message currently circulating on social media should suspect that it is an attempt to commit fraud and should report such activity to the UIF fraud hotline on 0800 601 148, or alternatively to the Department of Employment and Labour hotline on 0860 666 883,” he said.
“We urge our clients and members of the public at large to be vigilant and to discard of any information material that aims to confuse and defraud South Africans.”
In December, UIF Commissioner Teboho Maruping opened a criminal case with police against a private security guard who requested a R400 bribe from him to expedite a benefit claim at the Soshanguve Labour Centre.
At the time, Hattingh said the incident occurred when the commissioner undertook a working visit to the Labour Centre and the unwitting security guard did not recognise him.
Maruping was disguised “as an ordinary citizen, to have a first-hand account of the challenges and customer experience offered to citizens in the area” with a view of improving service delivery.
“When Maruping arrived at the Labour Centre, a private security guard, unaware of who he was, allegedly indicated to him that the centre had stopped capturing claims for the year.
“She then requested a R400 bribe from Maruping to facilitate assistance from government officials who are employed at the Labour Centre,” Hattingh said.