The Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation has warned the public to beware of people impersonating social welfare officers.

The Ministry highlights that there are some people going around in certain communities claiming that the Government through the Ministry of Women, is giving funds for Christmas and New Year spending to the amount of $1000.

The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary says some of these impersonators are asking the public to pay a fee of $90 to $150 for the processing of a promised Tropical Cyclone Sarai relief fund amounting to $9000.

The Ministry clarified that the statement is not true and Social Welfare does not charge a processing fee.

According to the Ministry, these impersonators are targeting the elderly, and several recipients have been duped in this bogus scheme in Lautoka.

The Ministry is advising all its recipients of the hoax scheme, and the public is requested not to accommodate any individual approaching them with such information.