WATCH OUT: Scams on WhatsApp and in your neighbourhood are doing the rounds
Beware of these scams that are doing the rounds currently...
Being a victim of crime can leave you mentally scarred for a long time. It is something that is dealt with differently with each person finding their own solace. Whether they chose to go for counseling or they deal with it alone or with family and friends, it's a personal choice.
Sometimes it can live within you for years without you actually dealing with it, lying dormant turning into a silent form of PTSD. Then perhaps you have a moment where something triggers you and you realise that you never actually dealt with it all.
It's difficult to say that you haven't been a victim of crime in this day and age, and there's not much we can say about that. But what we can do is try to keep updated and alert when it comes to crimes that are circulating in our country.
So with that being said, we wanted to bring to your attention some of the crimes that we have heard about recently. One of them being a phishing scam that is circulating on WhatsApp and asks victims to click on a link, which takes them to a portal to fill out their personal details for a chance to win a prize of R4,000 from Food Lover's Market in celebration of their 30th anniversary.
"The scam itself has been widely forwarded via the WhatsApp platform as a link. Once clicked, it invites the reader to complete a questionnaire to stand a chance of winning R4 000. After being alerted to the scam, Food Lover’s Market posted a notice on all its social media pages warning customers about it." (IOL)
A spokesperson for the brand said that it is very difficult to trace the origins of the scam to block it but they are making efforts to make their patrons aware.
If you receive a link via a messaging platform, claiming to be from Food Lover’s Market, do not click on it, rather contact our customer care to confirm the legitimacy of the competition. We will never ask you for payment of any kind in order to access a prize. Neither will we ever ask you for bank details.
Another scam that a community WhatsApp group has brought to our attention has to do with criminals who are posing as Department of Home Affairs officials.
"Be warned, there is a group going to homes and pretending to be officials from home affairs. They have documents with the letterhead Department of Home Affairs and claim to be confirming that everyone has a valid ID for the upcoming elections. They are robbing homes. Take note there is no initiative like that from the government. Send this on your neighborhood group chat. They are everywhere and they look presentable." (Local Community WhatsApp Group)
As times get more and more difficult for people, criminals become more and more creative with their approaches. We are not sharing this information with you to scare you, but merely to encourage you to be aware and careful. Rather safe than sorry...
On that note, enjoy your Heritage Day and stay safe.
You is kind, you is beautiful, and you is amazing!
Image Courtesy of Unsplash Website