The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has issued an urgent warning about a fraudulent recruitment advertisement circulating on social media platforms.
Job seekers are urged to exercise caution amid scammers’ efforts to target vulnerable individuals.
A fake video and digital poster claiming that “JMPD Assistants Training Posts” are open for application with a 30 January 2026 deadline has been spreading across TikTok and WhatsApp, according to department spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla.
“The JMPD wishes to state categorically that this advertisement is a scam,” Fihla said on Thursday.
No current JMPD vacancies available
The department emphasised that it has no open vacancies or training intakes for 2026 at present. Instead, JMPD is focused on completing its previous recruitment cycle.
“The department is currently finalising the recruitment and selection process for 500 trainees from the official 2025 vacancy cycle (Circular STC 014/2025),” Fihla explained.
He stressed that legitimate JMPD vacancies are only advertised on www.joburg.org.za, the official City of Johannesburg website.
“We do not use third-party websites like ‘shoshanews’ or TikTok links to process applications,” Fihla said.
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Warning against financial exploitation
The spokesperson issued a stern warning about fraudulent payment requests that often accompany similar scams.
JMPD emphasised that its legitimate recruitment process does not involve monetary transactions from applicants.
“The JMPD will never ask for money at any stage of the recruitment process. Any request for a ‘registration fee,’ ‘medical fee,’ or payment to ‘bypass assessment stages’ is criminal,” Fihla stated.
Protecting personal information
The department raised concerns about the broader implications of these scams beyond financial loss.
Fihla warned that scammers behind these posts often target vulnerable job seekers with multiple objectives in mind.
He cautioned the public that criminals may be attempting to harvest personal information or extort money from unsuspecting applicants.
“Do not click on suspicious links or provide your personal documents to unverified sources.”
Reporting mechanism
Individuals who have already fallen victim to the scam or possess information about those responsible are encouraged to come forward.
The department has provided multiple channels for reporting such incidents.
Victims can contact the Anti-Fraud Hotline at 0800 002 587 or 0800 203 712, or report the matter at their nearest South African Police Service station.
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