Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda has warned members of the public against scammers impersonating him.
According to Gwamanda, the scammers use fake emails to ask for financial assistance in his name.
“The executive mayor of Johannesburg, Kabelo Gwamanda, would like to alert the public to the existence of fraudulent emails falsely claiming to originate from his office,” reads the statement released on Wednesday.
“It has come to my attention that [the] scammers are attempting to exploit my identity by sending deceptive emails in order to perpetrate various scams.
“These fake emails may request personal information, financial assistance, or participation in fraudulent schemes, preying on the trust and goodwill of recipients.
“I urge all members of the community to remain vigilant and exercise caution when receiving emails purportedly from me or my office.
“Please be aware that I would never solicit personal information or financial assistance via email, nor would I engage in any activity that compromises the security or well-being of our residents.
“If you receive any suspicious emails claiming to be from me, please refrain from responding or providing any sensitive information. Instead, report the email to the appropriate authorities and take measures to safeguard your personal information.”
Retired judge Jafta also impersonated
Meanwhile, in December, retired former Constitutional Court Justice Chris Jafta informed the Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) that there was an individual impersonating him and contacting people using his name.
The OCJ said at the time that the motive behind the impersonation was not known.
“By the direction of retired Constitutional Court Justice Chris Jafta, the Office of the Chief Justice has been requested to issue this media statement.
“The Justice [Jafta] brought to the attention of the OCJ that an individual impersonating the retired justice, has contacted individuals using the name of the retired justice. The motives of the impersonator are not yet clear,” read the statement at the time.
“The public is warned not to fall prey to this impersonator and needs to be aware that impersonating a judicial officer is a criminal offence.
“Members of the public and media are requested to contact the OCJ to verify [the] authenticity of any communications, directive, article, or social media post that purports to be that of a judge.”
