Pretoria - Over 30 elderly people have been robbed of their social grant money in Tshwane by people claiming to be SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) officials, the agency said on Tuesday.
The scammers had targeted people aged 70 and older in areas like Temba, Stinkwater, Eersterust, Soshanguve, and Ga-Rankuwa, Sassa spokesman Steve Mabona said in a statement.
They visited them pretending to conduct a survey of all elderly beneficiaries collecting their social grants at pay points.
“They request to see an identity document (ID), Sassa card and a secret pin. They then hand over an unissued stolen card to an unsuspecting elderly (person).”
Most of the money was withdrawn in the Pretoria CBD on October 1, said Mabona. The elderly realised they had been robbed only when they asked real Sassa officials why their cards were not working.
Mabona urged grant beneficiaries not to share their ID numbers, their cards, or pins with anyone.
“Even our officials are not allowed to request a secret pin from beneficiaries. All Sassa cards are issued at our offices and not at any households unless as per arrangement for a home visit from the beneficiary.”
Victims were urged to apply for new cards and to report the matter to the police.
Sapa