Johannesburg – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has cautioned jobseekers about an email scam offering bogus employment.
In a statement on Thursday, SARS said an email with its branding was doing the rounds confirming acceptance of the recipient into a "SARS Leadership Programme".
"The prospective applicant is then instructed to make a deposit of an ‘administrative fee’ into a Shoprite Money Market Service account for the application to be processed".
The revenue service said the scam is similar to another one in which people impersonating SARS staffers inform people they have been given jobs, but have to buy uniforms and identity cards first.
"Members of the public are reminded that SARS will never ask that a payment be made into any other account. SARS does not endorse commercial venues".
SARS has offered a number of tips to avoid falling victim to the scam and has urged people who have to contact police.
1. Verify any correspondence or personal identification cards by contacting the SARS contact centre or your nearest branch.
2. SARS officials are legally required to present a SARS identity card when interacting with taxpayers. Specific information on these cards can first be verified with the SARS contact centre or at a SARS branch.
3. Do not make any immediate commitments or provide any personal information including banking details except through direct contact with SARS Contact Centre or branch visit.
4. SARS does not endorse commercial ventures, programmes, schemes and offers. The legitimacy of payment channels can be verified via the SARS contact centre or on the SARS website.
5. The location and listing of all SARS offices and branches can be found on the SARS website. SARS also cautioned taxpayers not to respond to emails from unknown sources.
Anyone receiving suspicious emails claiming to be from SARS can visit the SARS scams and Phishing webpage or contact the SARS Fraud and Anti-Corruption Hotline on 0800 00 287.