Fraudsters targeting service providers at government department
POLOKWANE
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Limpopo has warned the public of an email scam in circulation targeting prospective service providers.
The email targets prospective service providers soliciting money in exchange for contracts and or tenders with the Department.
According to the email circulating, names of the Departmental officials past and present are used to authenticate the requests. In one instance the name of the Head of the Department, Ms Ramatsimele Maisela is used to solicit money.
The modus operandi is that, a request is made to the prospective service provider through an email impersonating a Departmental official to deposit money into the provided bank account in exchange to getting purchase order for the advertised work.
“The Department would like to warn the public and prospective service providers that no Departmental official is authorized to solicit money through email in exchange of government contract. It is against the law for any official to solicit money in exchange of government contract.
“You are therefore warned and advised to report such attempts to extort money to the Police,” said departmental spokesperson Joshua Kwapa
The Department has started with the investigation of the origin of the email with the view of taking action against perpetrators.
