The South African presidency has issued a warning to citizens about con artists who defraud the public by pretending to be the country's President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The warning pointed out that messages allegedly sent by the president are being spread.
"The president does not request any funds or endorse any payments or contracts between third parties, whether through websites, adverts, social media, emails, letters, texts or phone conversations," the presidency stated.
The official statement cautioned that anyone who has received messages of this kind, claiming to be from the president or the presidency, should immediately terminate any communication with such individuals.
The president stated anybody who has already transferred money to these impostors should report the case to law enforcement, but it has not provided any other information on the nature of this scam or how long the perpetrators have been conning people out of money.
Earlier this year, a South African man was arrested for disseminating porn images superimposed with Ramaphosa's face, as well as the faces of the country's Police Minister Bheki Cele, and Cele's wife.
The suspect's measure of restriction and potential punishment are still unknown.