South Africans warned over coronavirus money scam

South Africans have been told not to hand over money to people who say there are collecting bank notes contaminated by the coronavirus.

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) issued a public warning that those posing as government officials were fraudsters.

Those involved in the scam have been issuing fake receipts for the money collected, saying banks will compensate them.

“The SARB will never ask members of the public to hand over their cash,” the bank said.

In a Twitter thread, it said no banknotes or coins had been withdrawn and no instruction issued to hand in money that might be contaminated.

Public warning from the SA Reserve Bank:

DO NOT hand over cash to anyone claiming that it is contaminated with COVID-19.

A thread

— SA Reserve Bank (@SAReserveBank) March 16, 2020

It also urged members of the public to contact the police when approached by “individuals purporting to be SARB employees or representatives”.