DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS SCAMS WARNINGS

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS SCAMS WARNINGS

Since 2014, we have been inundated with enquiries from service providers who either called or visited our office to enquire about the legitimacy of the requests for quotations they received from the "Department of Human Settlements". The logo used in these requests for quotation is that of the National Department of Human Settlements.

We have identified various “red-flags” in these requests for quotation. For example, we would like service providers to take note of the first three (3) digits of the telephone number used in the request for quotation as it is not consistent with the telephone number of National Department of Human Settlements. The telephone numbers on the bogus requests for quotation is (012) 726 whereas the legitimate number of the National Department is (012) 421. When one calls the number provided it is diverted to a cell phone line. The person who answers the phone will then confirm that it is the “Department of Human Settlements” on the line.

The bogus requests for quotation is for a special kind of a either a “drill-bits” or “gas-cylinders” which when the suppliers try to source can only be found from a supplier in Cape Town. There is no supplier, other than the one in Cape Town, who has this type of products.

The “request for quotation” further requires the service provider to pay for these products upfront “because the Public Finance Management Act does not allow delivery of goods before payment is done”.

Also, the officials who allegedly signed the letters do not exist or are not employed by the National Department of Human Settlement.

We call on all service providers to be on alert for these criminals and to verify all the quotations that are suspicious with the Director: Supply Chain Management in the National Department of Human Settlements in writing by emailing, [email protected].

We are dealing with more than twenty cases of defrauded service providers. We have asked our Special Investigation Unit and the SAPS to also investigate.

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