The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has long been a lifeline for millions of vulnerable South Africans, helping them meet their basic wants with money.
Lately, though, rumours about a “R700 Payment Application 2024” have been going around on social media sites like WhatsApp and Facebook, making grant recipients very confused. Many people have been led to think that they can apply for this fake grant, so it’s important to make it clear what’s real and what’s not.
SASSA has publicly said that there is no such grant, and it is clear that these messages are part of a sophisticated scam to trick people and steal their personal information.
What is the SASSA R700 Payment Application Claim?
In the past few weeks, messages have been going around online, mostly on WhatsApp and Facebook, saying that a “R700 Grant” application is available.
The message says that citizens who are qualified can now sign up online for the grant, which will help people with their money in 2024. Here is a piece from the widely shared message:
The message also has a link to join, but when it was checked out, it turned out to be fake and suspicious.
Why is the SASSA R700 Grant a Scam?
SASSA has made it clear that there is no such grant and that the messages going around online are fake efforts to trick people. These are some of the main signs that this “R700 Grant” is a scam:
- Links That Might Not Be Safe: The link in the messages that are being sent around does not go to a verified SASSA URL. Most of the time, antivirus software marks the link as dangerous because it could lead to phishing websites that are meant to steal personal information.
- Bad Website Design and Blurred Logos: The website mentioned in these messages usually has a bad SASSA logo and a messy layout, which are clear signs that it is not real.
- For Private Data: The fake website asks for private data like your full name, ID number, and phone number. Scammers often steal people’s identities by getting information like this.
Many of the comments on the fake website are made by people who say they got the R700 grant, but they are not real. These words are used to give the impression that they are true. - Mistakes in Grammar and Spelling: Most official messages from the SASSA do not have spelling or grammar mistakes. There are many mistakes in the messages that are being sent around, which is a big red flag.
SASSA’s Official Message to Beneficiaries
SASSA has said that there is no such thing as a “R700 Grant,” and any texts saying otherwise are part of a scam. Beneficiaries are told by the agency to be careful and only trust information that comes from official sources. Here are some important points from SASSA’s written message:
- No New R700 Grant: For 2024, SASSA has not announced any new R700 grants. It has a list of all the government grant types, like the Child Support Grant, the Old Age Grant, and the Disability Grant.
- Verification Through Official Channels: For information about funds or payments, SASSA tells people to only use their official website (www.sassa.gov.za), which has been checked out.
