Niël Terblanché
The Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service has issued a stern warning to young people against a fraudulent internship programme circulating on social media, exploiting job-seekers’ desperation.
According to a notice issued by the ministry’s public relations office on Tuesday, the scam, falsely claiming to represent it, is enticing individuals to apply for an “Internship Program 2025” by clicking on a suspicious link.
The notice states that the fraudulent post, which lists various duty stations across the country – including Windhoek, Katima Mulilo, Divundu, Oshakati, Khomas, Rundu, and Otjiinene – urges potential applicants to use the link https://offernew.github.io/MSYNS-PROGRAM-2025.
It employs a manipulative message, “I have applied and got mine,” to lure victims into believing the programme is legitimate.
The scammers then use the personal information obtained from unsuspecting young people to commit several kinds of cybercrimes.
The ministry categorically denied any association with this so-called internship opportunity, stressing that all official internship vacancies for the Ministry concluded on 31 December 2024.
“This claim of a 2025 internship program is false. The public is strongly cautioned to refrain from clicking on the link or engaging with these fraudulent posts,” the warning from the ministry reads.
In addition to debunking the scam, the Ministry has advised the public, particularly young job-seekers, to exercise extreme caution online.
It warned against providing personal or financial information in response to unsolicited communications.
“Young people are encouraged to verify the authenticity of opportunities by consulting our verified social media platforms, shared under the username @officialmsyns,” the ministry stated.
The warning notice also urged individuals encountering such scams to report them to relevant authorities for investigation, underscoring the importance of vigilance in protecting oneself from online fraud.
According to the ministry, the latest scam is a demonstration of the growing trend of cybercriminals targeting Namibia’s youth, particularly as many face challenges in securing employment.
“This is a critical reminder of the dangers of engaging with unverified information online,” the notice reads.
