A MAN pretending to be a government job recruitment agent has been arrested and charged with fraud in Mutale.

He was arrested on Sunday while allegedly luring unemployed people with false promises of work.

At least one of his victims paid R2500 for a nonexistent job.

The man, 36, claimed he was part of the government's job-creation programme and promised people work at state institutions.

The police said the man met his victims at the Mutale magistrate's court and local taxi rank .

He told his victims to bring copies of their IDs, qualifications and R2500, the police said.

After that the unsuspecting job-seekers were told they would be given uniforms and be referred to the particular departments they would work for.

The suspect was nabbed after one of his victims became suspicious and blew the whistle on him.

Inspector Tshilidzi Nyambeni said a case of fraud had been opened and that the man would appear in the magistrate's court soon. Nyambeni said the arrest would help the community. He appealed to other victims of the scam to come forward.