Desperate job seekers have been cautioned not to respond to massive jobs advertised on social media targeting school leavers, as advertisers might be scammers.  

The warning came from the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) and Eskom following a job advertisement on TikTok by Shoshanews.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been numerous promises of job opportunities on social media from what appears to be JMPD, South African Airways (SAA), the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Eskom, Transnet, and other government entities and private companies. 

The promotions feature people who are wearing uniforms from various companies and government departments expressing excitement about available jobs and learnership opportunities, and encouraging job seekers to apply immediately.

The advertisements instruct that the application forms available should be filled in or that such forms will be made available upon request via WhatsApp.

However, downloading the application forms becomes impossible. 

One of the promotions displays a group of what looked like JMPD officers and a vehicle, and a video of a lady, who is dressed in a JMPD uniform, encouraging job seekers to apply for JMPD assistant training posts that were opened for 2026, “to end poverty”.

“This year, all of us are going to be employed,” the lady said. 

However, the JMPD spokesperson, superintendent Xolani Fihla, warned in a statement issued on January 15 that the adverts were fake and that their promoters were committing a crime.    

“The JMPD wishes to state categorically that this advertisement is a scam.

“Members of the public are advised to avoid being misled, as the JMPD does not have any open vacancies or training intakes for 2026 at this time,” said Fihla.

Attempts to contact Shoshanews were unsuccessful as the number provided remained off.

Fihla said the JMPD was currently finalising the recruitment and selection process for 500 trainees “from the official 2025 vacancy cycle (Circular STC 014/2025).”

He said legitimate JMPD vacancies are only advertised on the official City of Johannesburg website www.joburg.org.za. 

“We do not use third-party websites like “shoshanews” or TikTok links to process applications.

“We urge the public to remain vigilant. 

“The scammers behind these posts often target vulnerable job seekers to harvest personal information or extort money. 

“Do not click on suspicious links or provide your personal documents to unverified sources,” he said.

He called on members of the public who have already fallen victim to this scam or have information regarding those behind it to report the matter to the Anti-Fraud Hotline at 0800 002 587 / 0800 203 712 or your nearest SAPS station.

According to bbplaw.attorney website, Regulation 11(5) of the Disaster Management Act, Government Gazette No: 43107 dated 18 March 2020, states that the dissemination of fake news is criminalised when published with the intent to deceive.

“In general terms, if you make and share content knowing that it is false with unsupported facts or information, to mislead another person, you are guilty of a criminal offence [and] you may be fined and/or sentenced to jail for a period not exceeding 6 months,” read an article published under the headline “Is Your Tweet Worth Jail Time? The Rise of Fake News Laws” on the website on January 23, 2025. 

Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena also said the power utility does not advertise careers or leadership opportunities on platforms such as TikTok. 

“We caution that these posts are fraudulent and not endorsed by Eskom.

“Members of the public are urged to ignore such scams and are advised to verify all legitimate opportunities only through our official careers portal,”  she said. 

On its website, the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation (CRF) warned against responding to job ads without verifying their authenticity.

The foundation said some fraudulent recruiters may ask for registration fees, training costs, or background check fees before allowing job seekers to apply.

“Legitimate employers never charge applicants to apply or be considered.

“Phishing emails or fake websites may request copies of your ID, bank statements, or even passwords, which can be misused.

“Falling for scams can leave you discouraged and mistrustful of genuine opportunities.

“Alarmingly, criminals may lure young people into dangerous situations with fake adverts promising glamorous jobs, overseas opportunities, or high pay,” the foundation warned.

In May last year, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) warned about two individuals masquerading as prison officials using fake names, inviting people to apply for jobs at the Krugersdorp Correctional Facility and asking for money in exchange for supposed employment opportunities.  

The department said it did not charge money for jobs and that its posts were advertised through mainstream media and on the official DCS website: www.dcs.gov.za.

“While we understand the harsh realities of unemployment and the desperation it can cause, we urge the public not to fall victim to these deceitful scams.

Anyone with information regarding the individuals involved is encouraged to report the matter to the South African Police Service or relevant law enforcement agencies immediately,” read the DCS statement.

bongani.hans@inl.co.za

Source link