On Wednesday, 19 February 2025, DB Digital (dbdigital.co.za) became the latest South African company to issue a public warning about scammers abusing its name in a fraudulent WhatsApp recruitment scheme.
The company released the following statement:
“Hi all. Please be on the lookout for any messages from this number or any other number.
Please report and block the contact.
These people are impersonating the company and are trying to scam you. They are based in Gauteng—Joburg and Pretoria specifically. We are not the only agency that’s been targeted by this scam.
Nobody from DB Digital will reach out to anybody on WhatsApp regarding employment.”
The warning was also published on DB Digital’s official website, where the company distanced itself from the fraudulent WhatsApp messages being sent under its name. The message attached to the warning follows the same pattern seen in previous scams.
The Scam Message Targeting Job Seekers
The scam starts with a WhatsApp message from an unknown number with a South African country code (+27):
“Hi, I am Melokuhle (HR Assistant) from DB Digital.
We’re looking for freelancers for our new project. You can work part-time or full-time and anywhere at any time, and we’ll pay you on a daily basis. Can I give you more details?”
Once the victim expresses interest, they are lured in with a fake job offer promising easy money for minimal work:
- Job Role: Follow the “WhatsApp Channels” of our clients.
- Position: Online Promoter
- Daily Work: Receive WhatsApp links in the company’s “official” working group. Your job is simply to follow the channels.
- Salary: R1,600+ per day, paid via South African bank transfer.
At this stage, the scammers probe for personal information, such as the victim’s age and banking details, under the pretence of “setting up payment.” When questioned about legitimacy, the scammers deflect with vague reassurances like:
“You can give it a try once. One you get paid or join us. Everything will be in front of you.”
This evasive and grammatically incorrect response is a clear red flag.
Another notable pattern in these scams is the repeated use of common South African names to establish false trust. Victims are approached by supposed HR representatives named Omphile, Lesedi, Lethabo, Melokuhle, and other generic local names to make the scam appear more familiar and convincing.
A Growing List of Targets in the WhatsApp Recruitment Scam
DB Digital is not the first to experience this fraudulent recruitment scam, nor will it be the last. Over the past year, multiple South African companies have had their names exploited by scammers using the same deceptive tactics.
Some of the most notable victims include:
- HelloYes Marketing – One of the first widely reported cases of this scam.
- BrandHeart Digital Marketing – Another digital marketing agency used as bait for fraudulent job offers.
- Bermont Digital – Victims were asked to pay to “activate” their job accounts.
- R17 Ventures – Scammers used fake HR representatives to extract money from applicants.
- Solucru Digital – Fraudsters promised high-paying remote jobs in exchange for upfront payments.
- Big Web Media – One of the latest victims of this ongoing scam.
Additionally, entirely fictitious companies have been created to further the scam, including:
- Rexvier Digital – A completely fabricated company used in recruitment scams.
- Omnistrace – Another fake employer used to steal money from job seekers.
- Pixel Turing – Fraudsters went as far as fabricating offices in prestigious locations.
This ever-growing list of legitimate companies and fictitious brands highlights the scale of the problem. As soon as awareness is raised around one iteration of the scam, fraudsters simply change company names and repeat the cycle.
How to Stay Safe from WhatsApp Job Scams
- Verify job offers through official channels. Legitimate companies will never recruit staff solely through WhatsApp.
- Be sceptical of jobs promising huge daily earnings for little to no work.
- Check official company websites and social media for warnings about impersonation scams.
- Never share personal information (ID, bank details, etc.) with unknown recruiters.
- Report and block suspicious numbers on WhatsApp to prevent further targeting.
With DB Digital now issuing public warnings, it’s clear that this scam is still actively spreading. Stay vigilant, and if you receive such messages, do not engage—report and block them immediately.
The Final Verdict
The DB Digital WhatsApp scam follows the same pattern as previous fake recruitment scams, proving that scammers are still actively impersonating legitimate South African companies.
With no real job, no real payments, and only potential risks for victims, this scam is purely designed to steal information and deceive job seekers.
If you or someone you know has received a message from “DB Digital” or any suspicious WhatsApp job recruiter, spread the word and report the number immediately.
The post DB Digital Targeted in WhatsApp Recruitment Scam Impersonation appeared first on Political Analysis South Africa.
