Claim:
A link to a website called “ECZ Career Staff e-Portal” has been circulating on social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook. The website claims that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has begun recruiting 10,000 ad hoc staff for the upcoming election and states that shortlisted candidates will be notified via email.
To protect visitors to our website from potential phishing or scam activity, iVerify Zambia has deliberately not included the circulating link in this fact check.
Verdict
The purported ECZ recruitment portal and advert in circulation on social media contains common features of online phishing, data harvesting, online fraud schemes and other financial scams. And considering that there is no such advert on the official ECZ website or other official platforms, the recruitment portal is fake, and the job advert is false.
Verification:
iVerify Zambia conducted a review of the circulating website link and compared it with official ECZ communication platforms. The verification process revealed several inconsistencies and red flags commonly associated with phishing, data mining, and online scam websites.
Firstly, the circulating portal is not an ECZ official platform, and is hosted on a suspicious and unofficial domain. Legitimate ECZ recruitment opportunities are published through the Commission’s official website: https://www.elections.org.zm/?page_id=1968
Secondly, clicking on the circulating link redirects users to a page displaying the message:
“SMS: Welcome to Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), Kindly Press OK to PROCEED.”
Unlike the fake portal, the official ECZ website opens directly without prompting users to click “OK” before accessing content.
Further examination revealed that once users click “OK,” they are directed to an online form requesting sensitive personal information, including:
- Full name
- Phone number
- Date of birth
- Email address
- Gender
- Disability status
- Province of residence
Additionally, several features on the website displayed suspicious behaviour:
- The “Contact Us” button redirects users to a gambling-related website.
- The “Home” button redirects users to another page instructing them to update their browser to Opera before proceeding.
- The portal inconsistently states two different recruitment figures, claiming both “10,000” and “266” available positions.
These characteristics are consistent with common phishing and online scam tactics designed to harvest personal information or redirect users to potentially harmful websites.
To further verify the claim, iVerify Zambia reviewed the official ECZ website and found no advertisement or announcement relating to the recruitment of 10,000 ad hoc staff. The only recruitment notice available on the ECZ website at the time of verification was a call for applications for the position of Technical Support Officer (TSO), published on 4 July 2025 under the Operations Department.
Rating Justification
As Zambia prepares for the August 2026 General Elections, misleading recruitment adverts linked to public institutions can exploit vulnerable job seekers, expose citizens to identity theft and financial scams, and undermine public trust in key democratic institutions. Members of the public are encouraged to verify all job opportunities through official ECZ communication channels and exercise caution when interacting with unfamiliar links requesting personal information.
Debunking the fake recruitment or other portals linked to the ECZ or other electoral actors is important in protecting members of the public from online fraud and exploitation. In a difficult economic environment where many people are actively seeking employment opportunities, fake recruitment adverts can easily mislead unsuspecting citizens into sharing sensitive personal information that may later be used for fraud, identity theft, or other malicious activities.
It is also critical to protect the integrity and credibility of the Electoral Commission of Zambia, particularly during an election period when public confidence in democratic institutions is essential. False recruitment claims linked to ECZ risk spreading misinformation, creating confusion, and weakening trust in the electoral process.
More broadly, exposing such scams promotes digital literacy and online safety by encouraging the public to verify information through official sources, remain cautious of suspicious websites, and avoid sharing personal information through unverified online platforms.
