Image: Namibia Fact Check / WhatsApp
A post that falsely claims that the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) is hiring to fill 500 positions is going viral
The post which appears to have started circulating virally on 26 March 2024 was forwarded to Namibia Fact Check on the same day, and has been received for verification three times in two days.
The viral post (image below) states:
“Namibian Port Authority has opened an application portal to recruit 500 new employees to work in different positions. No minimum qualification. Employment has started and free accommodation will be provided to all eligible applicants. Don’t miss this great opportunity. The application is free.”
What we found
Namibia Fact Check immediately recognised the viral post forwarded for verification as a possible phishing scam.
The Namibian Port Authority, similar to other Namibian state entities or companies has been targeted for scamming purposes with the aim to either illegally obtain the victim’s personal information or for engagement bait purposes.
Initially, on 26 March, the unofficial looking link in the post directed Namibia Fact Check to a basic webpage that indicated that “2907 Namibians have applied for jobs” (image below). However, when Namibia Fact Check followed up and re-used the link on 27 March, the webpage was no longer reachable because the domain was found to be non-existent.
Namport responds
The Namibian state port operator was quick to respond to the viral post. On 26 March 2024 it labelled the post as ‘FAKE” on its official social media pages, Facebook and Twitter, stating that Namibians should not fall for such scams.
The Namport response states (image below):
“Beware of fake recruitment portals! Remember, Namport exclusively utilises its official website and the Namibia Integrated Employment Information System (NIEIS) for all recruitment purposes. Stay vigilant and only trust adverts placed in local newspapers and Namport’s verified social media platforms and website. Don’t fall for imposters!”