Johannesburg-based advertising agency Live Communications has become the latest company to be falsely used in a WhatsApp job scam.
On Monday, 24 February 2025, the company issued a statement warning the public that scammers were fraudulently recruiting in their name. The notice, posted on their website (livecom.co.za) and Facebook page, reads:
“Important Notice: Beware of Job Offer Scams
We have been made aware that fraudsters are falsely using our company name to offer fake HR job opportunities. Please note that we are NOT offering any such positions.
If you receive a message claiming to be from our company regarding HR jobs, do not engage. Immediately block the number and report any suspicious activity.
Your safety is our priority. Thank you for your vigilance.”
A Growing List of Companies Exploited in This Scam
Live Communications is simply the latest in a long line of South African businesses that have been targeted by this ongoing WhatsApp recruitment scam.
For over a year, fraudsters have repeatedly impersonated legitimate companies, primarily within digital marketing and advertising, to lure unsuspecting job seekers into a deceptive scheme.
The scam follows a recycled pattern. Victims receive a WhatsApp message from someone posing as an HR representative from the targeted company, offering part-time or full-time remote work.
The supposed role is straightforward—following WhatsApp channels for “clients” in exchange for payment.
To “prove” their willingness to work, applicants are asked to complete a demo task, which involves following a WhatsApp channel and sending a screenshot for verification. A R30 payment is promised as a reward, creating the illusion that this is a genuine job opportunity.
However, as has been seen time and again, this is merely a bait tactic. Once victims engage, the scammers escalate their deception, either by requesting banking details, personal information, or upfront payments, often under the guise of activating a job account.
Some victims may receive an initial small payment to maintain the illusion of legitimacy, but as soon as the scammers feel they have gained enough trust, they push for further engagement that could lead to financial loss or identity theft.
Several well-known South African businesses have issued similar warnings in recent months after being impersonated by these fraudsters. These include:
- HelloYes Marketing – One of the earliest widely reported cases.
- BrandHeart Digital Marketing – Another marketing agency used as bait for this scam.
- Bermont Digital – Victims were asked to pay to activate their job accounts.
- R17 Ventures – Fake HR representatives were used to extract money from job seekers.
- Big Web Media – Another recent victim of this relentless scheme.
- DB Digital – One of the latest businesses to be caught up in this fraud.
Aside from impersonating legitimate companies, entirely fake businesses have also been created to advance this scam. Among the fabricated names exposed are Rexvier Digital, Omnistrace, and Pixel Turing.
In some instances, fraudsters have even gone as far as falsifying prestigious office locations to make their schemes appear more credible.
A Recycled Scam with the Same Red Flags
Screenshots from affected victims confirm that Live Communications is being targeted using the exact same tactics as previous companies. The scam follows a scripted approach, with fraudsters recycling the same elements in each variation.
The common features include:
- Unsolicited WhatsApp messages from unknown numbers, introducing the sender as an HR representative.
- Offers of high-paying remote work requiring only 3–5 minutes of effort per task.
- A required “demo task” where victims must follow a WhatsApp channel and submit a screenshot for verification.
- Unrealistic earnings claims, often ranging between R600 and R1 600 per day.
- Requests for personal information, banking details, or upfront payments once trust has been established.
As in previous cases, the WhatsApp messages are often signed off with generic South African names such as “Amahle” or “Lethabo,” which further obscures the identity of the scammers and makes it harder for victims to detect the fraud immediately.
Why This Scam Keeps Resurfacing
Despite repeated exposure, this scam remains persistent because it is easy to execute and difficult to shut down. Fraudsters need nothing more than a new WhatsApp number and a fresh company name to restart the operation.
Since no formal hiring process is involved, they can lure in new victims quickly, making their deception profitable with minimal effort.
By the time awareness spreads about one instance of the scam, the fraudsters have already pivoted to a new company name.
The lack of effective enforcement from digital platforms or financial authorities means there is little to deter them from repeating the same scheme over and over again.
How to Protect Yourself
Job seekers must stay informed and be able to identify key warning signs to avoid becoming victims of this scam.
No legitimate company recruits purely via WhatsApp, and no real employer pays people just to follow channels. If a job offer includes any of the following red flags, it is almost certainly fraudulent:
- Initial contact comes via WhatsApp from an unknown number.
- The “job” involves following channels as the primary task.
- The employer promises instant payments for minimal effort.
- The recruiter refuses to provide official company details.
- The offer sounds too easy or too good to be true.
If you receive such a message, do not engage. Block the sender, report the scam to the real company, and warn others to prevent further exploitation.
The Final Verdict
The WhatsApp recruitment scam is not going away. Instead, it continues to adapt and rebrand, preying on job seekers looking for remote work.
The case of Live Communications is just the latest in a string of frauds, and as history has shown, there will be more.
Scammers thrive on deception and false urgency, making their schemes seem like legitimate, time-sensitive opportunities. The best defence is awareness—understanding how these scams work and recognising when something doesn’t feel right.
If a job sounds too simple, too quick, or too good to be true, it almost certainly is.
The post Live Communications Targeted in Latest WhatsApp Recruitment Scam appeared first on Political Analysis South Africa.
