Jane Furse - The Department of Labour has warned residents in Limpopo to be wary of bogus inspectors who are pretending to help workers, who have recently lost their jobs, receive unemployment benefits.
Department spokesperson Page Boikanyo said the department had received reports from residents in Limpopo that the bogus inspectors are operating in the Jane Furse and Ohrigstad areas.
"They get copies of their victims' identity documents, take their bank cards and PIN numbers and steal their money, after pretending to help them claim for Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits," said Mr Boikanyo.
He said the provincial department executive manager, Albert Tshidavhu, found that the fraudsters were targeting especially illiterate people, promising to "speed up their UIF payments".
"We want to place it on record that a labour inspector will never demand anyone's bank details and PIN code when processing a UIF claim," Mr Boikanyo said.
He said employers and businesses that need any assistance with UIF payments must visit their nearest labour centre, where they will be assisted free of charge.
"We have alerted the Jane Furse police station about this practice and hope they will arrest the suspects," said Mr Boikanyo.
He also urged people who have been scammed or who have information about the fraudsters to contact the police or the department.
