GAUTENG Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development MEC Lebogang Maile has become the latest victim of phone scammers.
His phone has allegedly been cloned and someone is using it to send WhatsApp messages promising people jobs, while others are asking for various favours.
Maile took to Facebook to warn people to be aware of the scammers impersonating him.
“Please note that my number has been cloned on WhatsApp and that there are various people pretending to be me in WhatsApp groups with different numbers,” he said.
Maile said he was working to get the issue resolved.
“Please don't fall for scams,” he warned people.
But Noko Rapudi responded to the post and claimed she had already been promised a job.
“Too late I was promised a job??????" she wrote.
The scammer allegedly told an unsuspecting person that he was contesting for an ambassadorship course at an online influencers' programmer.
He asked his victim to vote for him.
“It’s an investment platform. You will receive an entry code, a code via SMS. All you have to do is to copy it and send it back to me and I will send it to my sponsor, okay.”
When the person asked who he was speaking to, the scammer said: “It’s Lebogang Maile. Don’t you see my picture in my profile. Please save my new number.”
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A number of celebrities have also been victims of scammers.
Legendary singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka once shared that someone created a TikTok account requesting money through her foundation.
She wrote on Instagram: “I have just come to realise that someone has started a TikTok account in my name with all my pictures linked to the Princess of Africa Foundation. People have been donating money and others asked to put money on Bitcoin.”
Somizi Mhlongo was another victim. His number has been hacked several times in the past few years.
“WARNING. My number has been hacked again ... Do not send money to anyone,” he said.
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