Edupstairs Scam Detector Tool

SA TrustScore: Spot a Scam Before You Apply

Paste any opportunity text (WhatsApp, Facebook, X/Twitter, Telegram, SMS, email—anywhere). You will get a TrustScore and verification guidance.

How to Use “SA TrustScore: Spot a Scam Before You Apply” (Quick Guide)

South Africa has no shortage of real opportunities—but scams are growing fast, especially on WhatsApp, Facebook, X (Twitter), Telegram, and even email. That’s why we created SA TrustScore: Spot a Scam Before You Apply—a simple tool that helps you check if a message looks safe before you submit your personal details or pay any money.

Whether you’re applying for a learnership, internship, bursary, job, EPWP role, or short course, this tool gives you a quick and clear risk check in seconds.

Step 1: Copy the opportunity text

First, open the message you received and copy the full text.

This could be from:

WhatsApp groups
Facebook posts and comments
X (Twitter) posts
Telegram channels
SMS messages
Emails
Any “forwarded message” from friends

Tip: Try to copy the full message including any links, emails, phone numbers, and payment instructions.

Step 2: Paste the text into SA TrustScore

Go to the SA TrustScore tool page on Edupstairs, then paste the text into the box that says:

“Paste the opportunity text here (from any platform)…”

Step 3: Click “Check TrustScore”

Once your text is pasted, click the button:

Check TrustScore

The tool will scan your message and generate a result.

Step 4: Understand your TrustScore results

SA TrustScore gives you two important things:

1) TrustScore (0–100)

This is the score showing how safe the message looks.

2) Risk level

You will see one of these labels:

Low Risk (usually safer, but still verify)
Medium Risk (be careful and confirm before applying)
High Risk (likely scam—do not proceed)

Step 5: Read “Why this score?” (the most important section)

This section explains the score

For example, it may warn you that:

The message asks you to pay a fee to apply
It uses pressure words like “urgent” or “today only”
It requests sensitive info like ID number or bank details
It contains suspicious or shortened links like bit.ly
It looks too good to be true (guaranteed job, no interview, etc.)

This helps you spot scams even if they look professional.

Step 6: Check the link verification results

If the message contains a website link, SA TrustScore will perform basic link checks such as:

Whether the link is reachable or broken
Whether it uses HTTPS (secure connection)
Whether it redirects to a completely different website

This is important because many scams hide their real destination behind “clean-looking” links.

Step 7: Use the “Safe Next Steps” advice

After checking the score, follow the tool’s recommended actions, such as:

Do not pay any “registration fee” or “processing fee”
Apply only on official company or government websites
Never share banking details via messages or DMs
Verify the opportunity using trusted sources before applying

Step 8: Help others by reporting the message

If you’re sure the message is dangerous or fake, use the buttons:

Report as Scam
Report as Legit

This helps build community protection, so future users can see if the same message is being shared as a scam.

Final Reminder: TrustScore is a safety tool, not a guarantee

SA TrustScore is designed to protect you, but always remember:

Scammers can copy real adverts
Some real organisations still use informal channels
The safest rule is: Never pay to apply

Before you submit your personal info, always verify using official platforms.

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At Edupstairs, we don’t just post opportunities—we help you win them.

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