Members of the public seeking to register companies, or obtain work and residence permits have been cautioned to be on the lookout for some fraudsters who claim to offer such services.
According to Broadhurst Police Acting Station Commander, Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Howard Modo, some of these fraudsters can usually be found around the premises of government offices such as the Registrar of Companies and Immigration Department, where they would advertise themselves as consultants to the unsuspecting public.
Mr Modo said that most of these unscrupulous individuals run briefcase businesses and target people seeking to obtain residence and work permits or to register companies. He said that after luring their victims into believing they are consultants these fraudsters would then ask for money to pay for the services at the respective department. After obtaining money from their victim they disappear into thin air.
He revealed that they are investigating one such case in which a woman who claimed to be a consultant swindled her victim, on five occasions, cash amounting to more than P14 000. The perpetrator after failing to deliver the promised services disappeared and her cell number has been off air since then.
ASP Modo said that they are trying to address this problem through public education adding that they are also working with the Labour and Immigration Departments and the Registrar of Companies to combat the issue.
The Director of Immigration and Citizenship Department, Mr Mabuse Pule said that they are currently working on a legislation that will among other things monitor the work and legitimacy of consultants offering services for their customers.
He however said that in the meantime he encourages people seeking consultancy services to verify with the Registrar of Companies if the consultants helping them are legitimately registered for such a business.