A recruitment scam offering paid “Telkom internships” upon payment of a “booking fee” of R90 is currently in operation. Telkom first issued a warning regarding this scam in February.

The scammers assure job seekers that they have been awarded a two-month internship at Telkom’s premises in Bloemfontein with a salary of R4 000 a month with free accommodation and catering. Because accommodation is limited, the candidates are asked to pay a once-off booking fee of R90 via the mobile money service at Pick n Pay and Boxer supermarkets to secure their space.

“Telkom is continuing to investigate this matter, in close consultation with the SAPS. We are disgusted that criminals would take advantage of jobseekers and that the Telkom brand is being misused in this way,” says Jacqui O’Sullivan, Telkom’s managing executive for group Communication.

“We would like to warn people to be cautious when pursuing offers online and hope that our efforts to expose this scam will shield the public from further fraud of this nature.”