The One Rule
If a job asks you to pay, it is not a job. That covers registration, admin, background checks, uniforms, training, medicals and "securing your spot". Nearly every scam on this page gets there in the end, however it starts.
Every Type of Job Scam
Messages on WhatsApp, Telegram and SMS
An unsolicited message offers a well-paid job, often from a "recruiter" you never contacted, then moves you to a group where the real ask comes: a fee, your ID, or money for "tasks".
Fake adverts on Facebook and TikTok
Posts using a big employer's name and logo, usually a retailer, a mine or a government department, with a number to message and a promise that everyone who applies is hired.
Task and "earn from your phone" jobs
You are paid small amounts for liking videos or rating products, then asked to deposit money to unlock bigger tasks. The early payments are the bait.
Fees dressed up as a step in hiring
A "background check", "uniform", "training" or "registration" fee, asked for after you are told you have the job. Real employers do not charge applicants.
Learnerships, training and school leavers
Paid learnerships and "free training" that end in a fee, aimed at matrics and young people looking for a first step.
Fake government jobs and grants
Adverts claiming to be SAPS, Eskom, PRASA, Correctional Services or a municipality, and messages about grants. Government posts are advertised through official channels and never cost money.
How to Check a Job Offer
- Find the post on the employer's own website. If it is not there, treat it as fake. For government posts, that means the DPSA vacancy circular (every post is listed on our government jobs page) or the department's own site.
- Check the company is registered. How to check a company with CIPC, free.
- Look up the number or email address. Our scam lookup checks it against what people have reported, and the job scammer list has every name reported to us.
- Run the checklist. How to spot a fake job post covers the warning signs one by one.
- Paste the message into the checker. The job scam checker reads an advert or message and tells you which warning signs it carries.
Where to Report a Job Scam
Report it even if you did not lose money: the next person to get the same message may not be as careful. How to report a job scam in South Africa lists every channel, from the SAPS to the platforms, and you can report a scammer to us so the name and number are added to the list others check.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common job scams in South Africa?
Fake adverts on Facebook and WhatsApp using a real employer's name, "task" jobs that pay small amounts before asking for a deposit, and fees disguised as a hiring step, such as the R250 background check. Fake learnerships and fake government posts target young people and matrics in particular.
How can I check if a job offer is a scam?
Find the same post on the employer's own website, check the company is registered with CIPC, and look up the phone number or email address against reported scams. If you are asked to pay anything, it is a scam: real employers do not charge applicants.
Where do I report a job scam in South Africa?
Report it to the SAPS if you lost money, to the platform it arrived on (WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok), and to us, so the number or name is added to the scam list others check. Our reporting guide lists every channel with its contact details.
Real employers do not charge you to work for them. When an offer asks for money, stop there.