The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has cautioned salaried workers on the current scams targeting them.
EOCO said it had in recent times received a number of complaints from salaried workers, who had fallen victims to these individuals.
A statement issued in Accra, and signed by Madam Faustina Lartey, Head of Public Relations on behalf of the Executive Director, EOCO said these scammers were attempting to take advantage of people who may be struggling financially.
It said these “unscrupulous” individuals called and sent text messages promising loans at affordable rates and promising to coach individuals to secure loans for a fee.
On the mode of operation, the statement said these scammers called and persuaded salaried workers to secure loans or propose to assist them to secure loans.
It said this was done in the hope of retrieving their locked up funds at Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD).
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“These unscrupulous individuals pose as staff of (CAGD), thus, assure unsuspecting victims that they can secure a loan from any financial iinstitution,” it said.
It also told their victims the amount of money to procure after checking their affordability.
“This is supposedly to help ease the process of retrieving the locked up funds owned the victim,” it said.
The statement said the scammer would promise that the CAGD would pay the lump sum to the financial institution where the loan was acquired, so that after the loan was secured the scammer would take a percentage of the total sum.
It said in other instances, they persuaded salaried workers and took their passport pictures and identity cards with the hope of securing the loan on their behalf.
“The worker receives the loan, pays the agreed percentage to the scammer, but ends up paying double the amount that was previously agreed on,” it said.
It said once the victim realised they had been scammed, all efforts to reach the scammer proved futile.
EOCO said there were many red flags that salaried workers should be on the lookout for, including but not limited to: a demand for payment upfront or after, instructions to submit personal details to a third party, persistent calls, messages to convince you to go for a loan.
It urged workers to contact the financial institution directly, make enquiries and request for the loan amounts they needed.
Salaried workers should also contact their institution or company’s Finance Department for information about their eligibility for loans and other requirements.
“Work with a legitimate, licensed and qualified person or company. If you have any locked up funds with Controller and Accountant General’s Department, write to them through your institution to request for your money,” it added.
The statement advised workers not to under any circumstance engage an unknown third party to retrieve unpaid or locked up salaries with CAGD and they should not handover their personal details, staff ID numbers and password to third parties.
It said EOCO in line with its mandate to prevent and detect organised crime would continue to monitor these developments with the aim to ensure that citizens are protected from scammers and fraudsters.