The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has warned people to beware of fake job advertisements online being used to obtain personal information.
The IEC “would like to warn citizens about fraudsters using online job advertisement websites in the name of the organisation to obtain personal information from unsuspecting job seekers;” it said in a statement this week.
“The Commission warns that various advertisements are currently doing the rounds on WhatsApp and other social media platforms. Some advertisements claim that the Electoral Commission is recruiting for the forthcoming 2024 national and provincial elections and ask interested persons to provide their personal information. Other fake advertisements purport to advertise the Electoral Commission’s recruitment portal.”
IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo cautioned that while the Electoral Commission was recruiting for the elections, these phishing sites were not legitimate advertisements.
“Scammers are using fake job postings to take advantage of unsuspecting applicants. No sooner have we had one site shut down, then we receive reports of others.
“I wish to stress that the Electoral Commission only advertises its job opportunities on its official social media channels – Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter – and on its recruitment portal on the official website, www.elections.org.za.
“Any post, message or website that asks you to fill in your personal details as part of an application process, or directs you to any other website, is a potential phishing site,” says Mamabolo.
In this instance, phishing takes place as the fraudsters masquerade as the Electoral Commission, using the promise of jobs in their communication as clickbait to deceive people into revealing sensitive personal information.
“We appeal to job-seekers to protect themselves by applying for our jobs on our website only. Please share this message with family and friends, and don't let fraudsters take advantage of you.
“If you’re unsure whether a job advertisement is legitimate, please contact us on one of our social media pages or email info@elections.org.za,” Mamabolo says.
The Electoral Commission is taking legal action against the entities involved in the fraudulent practice.
To register on the Electoral Commission’s jobs portal and apply for available positions, please visit the secure link https://www.elections.org.za/pw/About-Us/BrowseJobs.
The Independent on Saturday