Harare,  (New Ziana) –The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) has warned the public against some individuals who are moving around posing as its officials or from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage and collecting national identity particulars under the guise of preparing for an upcoming census.

In a statement, ZIMSTAT public relations officer Roland Chiringa said the agency does not conduct unannounced visits to households or request personal identification documents without proper authorization.

“ZIMSTAT urges the public to be vigilant and cautious of individuals falsely claiming to be representatives of ZIMSTAT or the Ministry of Home Affairs. “These imposters are operating illegally and may have malicious intentions, including identity theft or other fraudulent activities,” he said.

He outlined clear guidelines to assist the public in identifying legitimate ZIMSTAT officers saying all authorized personnel conducting official duties will carry a national Identity card, a government Identity Card, an official letter from ZIMSTAT and a branded ZIMSTAT shirt or T-shirt.

“Any individual failing to provide these credentials should immediately be reported to the nearest police station for verification,” he said.

New Ziana