In a statement, the department said the scammers were using the personal details of DPWI staff members to scam people. 

According to the department, the scammers have been lying low for a while but surfaced recently targeting service providers in the Johannesburg and Pretoria areas. 

Their modus operandi is to use the DPWI letterhead containing real names of officials and to invite service providers to take part in non-existent tenders to deliver goods to government offices or other locations. 

The goods then mysteriously disappear leaving the said service providers in large amounts of debt. 

They also use the provincial DPWI information in Gauteng to allegedly try and confuse people. 

The department said they would never request services from service providers without following the necessary supply chain management (SCM) protocols and processes.

DPWI has distanced themselves from these activities and have called on the public to be alert and vigilant. 

“These scammers are causing a lot of stress to departmental staff who become exposed to strangers, who from time to time would come to the office reception to enquire about misleading information," it said in a statement.

“The danger posed to the staff is that many people are convinced that the information is genuine, until it is pointed out to them that it is not.” 

Businesses currently involved with the DPWI were also cautioned to be extra vigilant during this time. 

The department has reiterated no official from DPWI will send out an invitation to individuals for a tender within the department.

African News Agency