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🚨 Warning: This Tender Email Appears to Be a Scam 🚨
The email you received from sibongile.mlangeni@labour-pretoria.online claiming to be from the Department of Employment and Labour is highly suspicious and shows multiple red flags associated with common tender scams in South Africa.
âť— Key Reasons This is Likely a Scam:
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Fake Domain:
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Official government domains end in .gov.za, not .online.
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The email address uses a non-government domain: labour-pretoria.online — this is a major red flag.
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Suspicious Tender Process:
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It encourages you to source items outside your expertise, which is not how real government RFQs operate.
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Genuine government RFQs require pre-qualification, registered vendors, and are publicly listed on the National Treasury eTenders Portal.
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Urgency + Vague Details:
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Scammers often create a false sense of urgency (“closing date in 3 working days”) to pressure you.
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The product or service requested is not even specified in your message — another tactic to get you to engage.
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“Automated Email” Disclaimer:
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This is a common tactic used by fraudsters to avoid responsibility and discourage replies that may expose the scam.
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âś… What You Should Do:
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DO NOT reply or send a quotation.
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DO NOT download or open any attachments if sent later — they may contain malware or lead you further into the scam.
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REPORT this scam to:
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The Department of Employment and Labour via their official site: https://www.labour.gov.za
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National Anti-Fraud Hotline: 0800 701 701
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BLOCK the sender and alert your internal team or IT security contact.
đź”’ How to Protect Yourself from Tender Scams:
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Always verify tenders on www.etenders.gov.za.
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Confirm the email domain ends with .gov.za for any national or provincial department.
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Do not engage with unknown senders using generic or non-government domains like .online, .org, .co.za (for official gov use), etc.
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Report any suspicious tenders to the department directly using contact details from their official websites.
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