Farmers are warned not to hand over money to a scammer claiming to sell a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine.
By Alani Janeke, Senior Journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
In recent weeks, a scammer has exploited the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, claiming they can provide farmers with access to a vaccine. The person initially contacted farmers and farm workers under a female name, and later switched to male names.
Government has asked Commandant Jan Nel, a biosecurity officer at Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS), to help investigate the scammer’s activities.
The fraudster claims to offer an FMD vaccine for R80 per dose, and says farmers are allowed to administer it themselves. Last week, they requested a deposit from a farmer to secure the so-called vaccine. When the farmer refused, the scammer ceased all contact. The investigation is ongoing.
Dewald Olivier, the CEO of RMIS, warns farmers to remain vigilant and not to fall victim to scammers. FMD is a state-controlled disease, he says. Only state veterinarians have access to the vaccine, which government imports from Botswana, and legislation allows only these veterinarians to administer vaccinations.
Farmers who are contacted by this scammer – or by any other suspicious individuals – are urged to report it to the RMIS operational centre. They can either leave a voice message by calling 067 391 7530, or send a WhatsApp message to the same number.
