Cape Town - Social housing company Communicare has warned of a scam targeting desperate people looking for affordable housing to rent.
Communicare said it had recorded cases of scammers using its pictures and posing as the company online.
Communicare COO Makhosi Kubheka said the brains behind the scamming go as far as creating their own application forms and requesting three months of bank statements and identity documents.
They also ask for authorisation to conduct credit checks.
“It all appears authentic until they secure an application fee or a deposit and then disappear. We were made aware of four such cases in the past two weeks.
“The scammers target residents in the social housing market. Social housing units seem to be their main targets.”
Kubheka said Communicare does not ask for a deposits or upfront payments.
“Communicare will never ask for a deposit or any upfront payment when people are applying for a rental unit. All viewings are by appointment only and keys are only handed over once the applicant is successful and they have signed a lease agreement.
“We are doing all we can to assist those who have come forward and admitted to being scammed,” said Kubheka.
Communicare advised anybody seeking rental units to contact the organisation on 021 421 6008 or report suspected fraudulent activity on our free tip-off line on 0800 204 969.