FREE STATE - The month of January is when parents and their children seek accommodation and others enroll at various Higher Learning Institutions of learning with the hope of furthering their studies.

However, parents are advised to be aware of bogus accommodations that are only available over the phone and online, as well as institutions of higher learning that only exist by name and have no campuses or classes.

Police in the Free State are pleading with parents or guardians not to deposit any cash into any account before they physically visit the institution or see the available accommodation. This is to avoid being scammed as cases of parents who were defrauded were registered in previous years at police stations in and around the province.

To confirm if the Institution of Higher Learning is registered and Legitimate, please contact the Department of Higher Education and Training on 0800 872 222 or 012 312 6300/5881 before you deposit any funds into any account as provided by any institution.

"Let us stop bogus institutions and people who defraud guardians or parents off their education savings. If you suspect something dodgy, it probably is a fraud. verify with the relevant body so you can save yourself from being scammed of your hard earned cash" said Free State Provincial Commissioner Lt Gen Baile Motswenyane.

Source: South African Police Service