The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) in Mpumalanga is advising R350 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant beneficiaries to keep on verifying their contact details, to ensure that they are still correct to avoid scammers.
The agency issued the statement after its Customer Care Unit received numerous calls from beneficiaries, complaining that their contacts have been changed.
“Beneficiaries must note that there is a circulating WhatsApp message where scammers are offering to assist applicants to do their applications. By surrendering personal details to the strangers they are able to change the contact details on behalf of applicant.
“The agency is warning R350 grant beneficiaries to do application themselves or request a person that they trust and have access to see or visit them,” SASSA said.
It reiterated that SASSA official customer care cannot change beneficiary contacts details without their request.
“The process of changing contacts details requires the Identity number of the beneficiary and after that the beneficiary receives OTP number in the cell phone. The official will request the OTP that will enable him or her to update contact details,” the agency said.
To verify or change contact details beneficiaries are urged to login to the official website which is https://srd.sassa.gov.za.Beneficiaries.
For more information, beneficiaries can contact the agency’s toll free number on 0800 60 10 11 or 013 574 9428/9363 from 08:00 – 16:00 during week days.