Ministry Of Finance Warns Of Fraudulent Covid-19 Grants

The Ministry of Finance has advised the public to be on the lookout for criminals purporting to manage Covid-19 stimulus grants, warning that some individuals are trying to defraud members of the public. 

Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba has said the ministry is aware of fake email addresses and illegal internet sites being used to carry out the scheme. 

Mr Yamba said that the government has not set up an Economic Stimulus Development Grant in conjunction with the IMF, World Bank and the Global Entrepreneurship Facility. Any grant claiming this is likely to be fraudulent.

He added that the name Winnie Chilanga, which appears on many of the false application forms, is not connected to the Ministry of Finance, nor is the made-up Secretariat Grants Department. 

Mr Yamba said that the procedure for accessing Covid-19 funds from public institutions is clear and can be found on official government platforms. 

The Ministry of Finance has contacted the Zambia Police Service’s cybercrime units, the Drug Enforcement Commission and ZICTA to help trace the criminals who are circulating the fraudulent grant offers.