As technology advances, unfortunately, so do the tactics of scammers looking to take advantage of unsuspecting individuals. WhatsApp and Telegram, two popular used messaging platforms, have unfortunately become breeding grounds for various scams. It’s crucial to be aware of these scams to protect yourself, personal information, and loss of money.

Recently Digital Fire, and numerous other agencies, have fallen victim to these scammers. Currently, there are fraudulent Digital Fire groups circulating offering individuals’ money for doing basic tasks. This job recruitment scam is falsely associated with Digital Fire, and we ask individuals to please be careful and vigilant.

How do the scammers operate:

  1. Fake profile created and greeting message: Scammers create fake profiles and names of individuals and companies, or impersonate people and companies, in this case Digital Fire. These messages are sent out via Whatapp or Telegram. The message generally comes across as friendly and provides you with information on how you can generate extra income by completing specific and basic tasks. Tempting, especially in our current economic climate, but beware, when it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.
  2. Apparently, victims will get paid initially for basic tasks completed. Not big amounts, less than a R100, but this is how they build trust. Please note, payment methods and amounts will differ, but the modus operandi is the same.
  3. “Easy money,’ you think, as you received your R20 / R50 or a R100 after completing a few tasks. Trust is built and then they catch you as they will proposition you with the opportunity to earn more money. They will ask you to make a payment of around R1000, this various, which will allow you to earn more money. After you make the payment, you will receive less or no communication from them or asked to still perform basic tasks and will not make the money that were promised to you. Basically, you were scammed for a much bigger amount than you initially received.
  4. If asked about legitimacy, they send out our Digital Fire website address and company information. Even though we have a disclaimer on our home page, the scammers still tell individuals they are aware of it and will remove it.

To stay safe from WhatsApp and Telegram scams:

1. Be skeptical of messages from unknown numbers or contacts, especially random big Whatsapp Groups.
2. Never share personal information, passwords, or financial details with strangers.
3. Verify the identity of the sender before taking any action, if you are unsure, contact us.
4 Report any suspicious activity to the platform’s support team

Always verify the identity of the person or organization before sharing anything valuable if you are unsure get in touch by our official www.digitalfire.co.za channels. We are happy to assist and guide you to protect yourself.

Please note: Digital Fire will never ask for money, offer money or jobs through messaging apps. We also do not communicate via Whatsapp or Telegram.

Stay vigilant, trust your instincts, get in touch with us if you are unsure and protect yourself from falling victim to WhatsApp and Telegram scams.

December 2023 News24 article relating to these types of scams: Click here