Published: 17 May 2025

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has issued a public warning over a fraudulent WhatsApp message currently circulating online, which falsely claims that the authority is recruiting individuals for online survey jobs with daily earnings ranging from US$28 to US$280.

In an official statement, ZTA dismissed the message as a scam and urged members of the public to remain vigilant and not fall victim to the fraudsters behind the scheme.

"The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) would like to alert the public of a fraudulent WhatsApp message currently circulating online," the statement read. "The message falsely claims that ZTA is recruiting individuals for online survey provider positions, offering daily payments ranging from US$28 to US$280."

The scammers are reportedly directing unsuspecting individuals to log into a YouTube channel  -  @tourismzimbabwe5794  -  to continue the fake recruitment process. Victims are also being asked to pay various amounts in order to secure these non-existent opportunities.

ZTA firmly denied any connection to the message or the YouTube channel involved. "Please be advised that ZTA is not conducting any such recruitment exercise and has no affiliation with this channel or any similar initiative," the authority stated. "This is a scam, and the public is urged to exercise extreme caution."

The tourism authority emphasized the importance of verifying any job offers or recruitment notices with official sources, advising the public to rely solely on its official website: www.zimbabwetourism.net.

"ZTA distances itself from this activity and urges the public to verify the authenticity of any communications claiming to be from the Authority," the statement added. "Stay vigilant. Do not share personal information or make any form of payment in response to such messages."

The warning comes amid rising cases of online fraud in Zimbabwe, with scammers increasingly targeting job seekers and exploiting the country's high unemployment rates.
- zimpapers

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