The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has said it is not conducting any protocol recruitment and that the public should ignore such recruitment on social media.

"The attention of Management has been drawn to a protocol recruitment scam on Facebook purporting that the GNFS is recruiting people into the Service. We are not conducting any protocol recruitment," it said.

A statement signed by Mr Ellis Robinson Okoe, Divisional Officer 1, Head of Public Relations of the GNFS and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday said anybody dealing so with the scammers were risking their lives and finances.

It said: "The Chief Fire Officer cannot ask you for friendship on Facebook if he does not know you and will not use his high office for such a dubious act, adding that "The Public Relations Officer of the GNFS does not have a Vodafone number and will not sacrifice his professional integrity to engage in acts that will bring the Service into disrepute."

The statement said all recruitments in the GNFS were advertised in Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times and their Website www.Gov.GH.

It said; "The mode of operation of these scammers is that someone using the Facebook Page of the Chief Fire Officer will request for friendship and if you accept, he will ask you if you have anybody you wish to be recruited into the Service.

"Then the fake 'Chief Fire Officer' will direct you to Ellis Robinson Okoe his PRO on a Vodafone number for assistance. The fake PRO will ask you to pay GH¢ 120.00 for the form, which he will ask you to send through Mobile Money Transfer.

"He will then demand between GH¢ 2,000.00 and GH¢ 2,500.00 to be sent through Mobile Money Transfer for the protocol recruitment. The scammers will send you an E-mail congratulating you for qualifying with a batch number as your code. Up to this process, they will ask all applicants to meet them at the headquarters of the GNFS on a date which they switch off all their contacts."

The statement said the National Security and the Police have been informed to investigate the perpetrators and bring them to book; and that all enquires about recruitment should be directed to the Public Relations Department of the Service, Human Resource Department or the nearest Regional and District Offices.