Dear learners
We recently found out about a scam using a Progression advert for a learnership opportunity on social media. The advert was placed on the Disabled People South Africa (DPSA) Facebook page.
A number of our learners replied to the advert and messaged the scammer called Jabu via WhatsApp. They were then sent contracts to sign, also via WhatsApp. The contracts looked real, as they had Progression branding on the top. The fake contracts also had a forged signature.
These learners were also asked for a Coca-Cola, a bribe, to secure their place in the learnership and were promised that they would receive laptops as part of the learnership.
Being a scam, there was no real learnership opportunity and no laptops, and instead these people have now lost R1 000.
We would like to ask you all to be aware that there are lots of learnership and job scams out there.
At Progression, we have strict procedures in place. Please read and remember these guidelines so you don’t become a victim of a scam:
- We will never ask you for money at any point in the recruitment process, not when you come for your interview and not when you are given the contract.
- You can’t access any Progression learnership via a bribe. If you are being asked for a bribe, it’s a scam.
- We always conduct your assessments face-to-face, never via WhatsApp, and always interview you before possible selection for a learnership.
- You will always sign your learnership contract in person, with us, not via WhatsApp.
- Any documents that need a signature will be signed in person by a Progression representative.
- If you need a laptop as part of your training, it will be personally given to you by a Progression representative, it will never be couriered to you.
- If we need to reach you, we will call, email, sms or WhatsApp you using the details you gave us. We will use our full name when we do this. If you only have a first name and a mobile number, contact the Progression office or your Progression contact to make sure the person who has contacted you is not a scammer.
- Progression adverts for learnerships are always placed on our official social media pages. Follow our pages to see our adverts. If you see an advert somewhere else, on another page or group, first check our pages to see if it’s one of our adverts, or contact our offices.
If any of our learners responded to this advert and paid the R1 000 bribe, unfortunately we cannot get your money back for you.
We have handed this matter over to the police, and they will be investigating it further.
Please contact Farhana Hassam on farhana@progression.co.za if you have any questions or more information about this scam.
Regards,
Beth Cook
