A new scam, the Pixel Turing Company (pixelturing.com), has surfaced, targeting South Africans through deceptive WhatsApp and email messages.
The fraudulent scheme operates under the guise of a company called “Pixel Turing,” offering employment opportunities that promise high pay for minimal effort. However, a closer look reveals a fabricated narrative backed by stolen content and false addresses.
A Fake Job Offer With No Substance
The scam begins with unsolicited messages sent via WhatsApp or email. In one instance, a recipient, who reached out to Political Analysis South Africa, was offered a seemingly lucrative job opportunity.
The usual red flags were present: an enticing promise of high pay for minimal effort and no prior interaction with the so-called company.
The messages boast appealing perks, minimal requirements, and an air of legitimacy, as though the recipient had previously applied for this “job”. The recipient, wary of the offer, deleted the message. However, this was just the beginning of us unravelling this new deception.
Pixel Turing: A Company That Doesn’t Exist
Despite the claims made by the scammers, there is no record of Pixel Turing in South Africa’s Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).
The address they provided, 20 Woodlands Drive, supposedly placing them in the prestigious Woodlands Office Park in Johannesburg, is another fabrication.
To confirm suspicions, we contacted the management of Woodlands Office Park on Monday, 27 January 2025. They verified that no such company is listed as a tenant.
Furthermore, the management noted an increase in enquiries about Pixel Turing over the past week, indicating the scam’s widespread reach.
Victims reported being approached via WhatsApp and email, with the company alternately posing as a marketing agency and a financial services provider—a common tactic to appear legitimate.
A Plagiarised Website and Dubious Domain History
The current website for Pixel Turing (pixelturing.com) is another critical piece of the puzzle. A review of the domain’s history reveals that it was registered on 2 March 2022.
Up until 12 January 2025, it served as the website for a Chinese company, Shenzhen Shunxin Chemical Co., Ltd. This history was uncovered using the Internet Wayback Machine.
A deeper examination of the website shows blatant plagiarism. Entire sections, including text and imagery, have been copied from the Dentsu Asia Pacific website (dentsu.com/sg/en/).
For example, the careers page of Pixel Turing mirrors that of Dentsu almost word for word, even retaining references to “Dentsu” in the text. Side-by-side comparisons of these pages confirm the theft.
Further scrutiny of Pixel Turing’s listed addresses raises additional concerns. The New York address they claim, One Manhattan West, is a premium office location managed by Brookfield Properties.
Like the South African address, it’s improbable that an unregistered, unknown company could afford such an upscale space. A check with New York’s business registry also confirmed that Pixel Turing is not registered in the state.
A Pattern of Suspicious Domains
The domain registration itself is another red flag. The registrar, Gname, has been linked to a growing number of scams targeting South Africans over the past year.
Reviews on Trustpilot describe numerous fraudulent domains registered through Gname, contributing to its abysmal 1.6-star rating. While this does not directly implicate Gname, it highlights a troubling trend.
For instance, Gname was also the registrar used in the Skybound Reach scam, which similarly targeted South Africans through WhatsApp and email schemes.
Like Pixel Turing, Skybound Reach posed as a legitimate company, complete with fabricated job offers and a poorly constructed website.
The use of Gname as a registrar in both instances underscores how fraudsters are exploiting this platform to prey on unsuspecting victims. More details about the Skybound Reach scam can be found here: The Skybound Reach Scam.
Moreover, the domain’s registrant for Pixel Turing is allegedly based in Rhode Island, New York—a location that seems highly dubious given the numerous inconsistencies in the Pixel Turing narrative. This is likely another layer of deception designed to obscure the scam’s true origins.
The Final Verdict
The Pixel Turing scam is yet another reminder of the sophisticated tactics employed by fraudsters to deceive unsuspecting individuals. From plagiarised websites and fake addresses to dubious domain registrations, every aspect of this operation reeks of deceit.
For those approached by Pixel Turing or similar schemes via WhatsApp or email, the best course of action is to delete the message and avoid engaging further.
Always verify the legitimacy of any company before sharing personal information or considering their offers. By staying vigilant, we can collectively dismantle the web of lies spun by scammers like Pixel Turing.
Hi there! I’ve received messages on whatsapp with the same description. The number that messaged me is +27 60 673 9815 , with the name ‘Maci Ariana’ and they had a picture of a little boy with blue eyes as their profile picture.
The address they gave me is:
“Location:
USA :
395 9th Ave New York, NY 10001
United States
SOUTH AFRICA:
20 Woodlands Dr Woodmead,Johannesburg 2191
South Africa.”
They only sent it after I persisted on knowing their location.
The job description they gave is:
I stopped responding as I’ve done research on this job and that’s when I read this article. I knew it was waaay too good to be true! Thanks for making us alert on these scams.
I just received their WhatsApp text now, I did some research, found this article, blocked them immediately.
Hi There,
Just received the same message from the below number:
+27 (0)76 421 0335
I got a similar message saying that the person (did not give me a name) is an HR Assistant from “Pixel Turning” Company. The next message was to say how their company needs staff and that it is a free time job where you get paid for following WhatsApp Channels
To stop their contact I responded with how they are in breach of the POPIA act and that they need to remove all personal data from their systems or face legal action.
Hope this helps
I’ve just received a message on whatsapp with the same description. The number that messaged me is +27 79 714 9577 , with the name ‘Katie Alves’ but yet the number shows “Brooklynn Adyson” . No profile picture seen as I did not save the number. I blocked after I asked who it is.
This was the message:
I’m , “Katie Alves” HR Associate From “PIXEL TURING Company .” It’s my honor to greet you.
We got your number from our employee referrals, recruitment platforms such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and other recruitment agencies Etc, and they forward your number.
Can you work from home with us as an official brand reviewer and surveyor part-time as a freelancer? It is not like a job; it’s just a simple way of working for you. No need to acquire time.
Joining is totally free; you can earn up to 1600 Rands on a daily basis.
If you are interested, kindly let me know, i’ll send you work nature.
I have received the same messages from the number 0764060027. First they claimed to work for Pixcel Digital Company (based in New Zealand), then it changed to Pixel Turing (ostensibly based in New York and Woodmead). I decided to bait them with screenshots of the WhatsApp articles which I will be advertising on social media and will most definitely include links to your article. Thanks for the good work you’re doing and a great article!
I just received their WhatsApp from the number 079 216 9423.
This is their message.
“I’m , “Samira Hadid” HR Associate From “PIXEL TURING Company.” It’s my honor to greet you.
We got your number from our employee referrals, recruitment platforms such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and other recruitment agencies Etc, and they forward your number.
Can you work from home with us as an official brand reviewer and surveyor part-time as a freelancer? It is not like a job; it’s just a simple way of working for you. No need to acquire time.
Joining is totally free; you can earn up to 1200 Rands on a daily basis.
If you are interested, kindly let me know, i’ll send you work nature”.
This just happened to me right now, hence I decided to do a little bit of research. The number 060 697 6633 texted me, claiming that they are an HR from the so called “Pixel Turning company” and now I know what to do. All thanks to this article and the comments.
Yup, I blocked ’em a minute ago, thanks to this article.
Just received this from 079 268 4725 with a picture of a young girl with the name Emilia Gemma
“I’m HR Associate From “PIXEL TURING Company.” It’s my honor to greet you.
We got your number from our referrals, recruitment platforms such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and other recruitment agencies Etc, and they forward your number.
Can you work from home with us as an official brand reviewer and surveyor part-time as a freelancer? It is not like a job; it’s just a simple way of working for you. No need to acquire time.
Joining is totally free; you can earn up to R1300 on a daily basis.
If you are interested, kindly let me know, i’ll send you work nature….”
Another dead give away is if they start calling you “Dear”
Thanks for posting this
I just received their WhatsApp now .
I’m , “KATIE ALVES” HR Associate From “PIXEL TURING Company”
It’s my honor to greet you.
We got your number from our employee referrals, recruitment platforms such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and other recruitment agencies Etc, and they forward your number.
Can you work from home with us as an official brand reviewer and surveyor part-time as a freelancer? It is not like a job; it’s just a simple way of working for you. No need to acquire time.
Joining is totally free; you can earn up to 1600 Rands on a daily basis.
If you are interested, kindly let me know, i’ll send you work nature.
Hi have also received a whatsapp today from “Tania Taliyah”+27608474111
I’m an HR Associate from ” PIXEL TURING Company .” It’s my honour to greet you.
We got your number from our employee referrals, recruitment platforms such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and other recruitment agencies, etc., and they forward your number.
Can you work from home with us as an official brand reviewer and surveyor part-time as a freelancer? It is not like a job; it’s just a simple way of working for you. No need to acquire time.
Joining is totally free; you can earn up to R1300 on a daily basis.
If you are interested, kindly let me know, and I’ll send you work nature.
The number they used to send me a message is: 063 069 1688
Date: 01 February 2025
“I’m Katie Alves, an HR Associate From PIXEL TURING Digital Company. It’s my honor to greet you.
We got your number from our employee referrals, recruitment platforms such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and other recruitment agencies, etc., and they forwarded your number.
Can you work part-time as a freelancer from home with us as an official brand reviewer and surveyor? It is not like a job; it’s just a simple way of working for you. No need to acquire time.
Joining is free; you can earn up 600 to 1200 Rands daily.
If you are interested, kindly let me know, and I’ll send you the work nature”
I just received a message on whatsapp:I’m HR Associate From “PIXEL TURING Company.” It’s my honor to greet you.
We got your number from our referrals, recruitment platforms such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and other recruitment agencies Etc, and they forward your number.
Can you work from home with us as an official brand reviewer and surveyor part-time as a freelancer? It is not like a job; it’s just a simple way of working for you. No need to acquire time.
Joining is totally free; you can earn up to R1300 on a daily basis.
If you are interested, kindly let me know, i’ll send you work nature. 🟢Job Role is simple: Follow channels for our clients and get paid for the channels followed.
🟢Demo task completion Bonus 30 ZAR
🟢Daily Income: 600 to 1300 ZAR
🟢Working Time:Per task 3 to 5 minute in free time.
🟢It’s just a part-time work, you can do it in your free time,
🟢Payment will be transfer on any bank account.
I search the company name and I found this article. Thank you for this and I forward this article to her to make her aware your a scam
081 879 2659
I’m “KATIE ALVES” HR Associate from ” PIXEL TURING Company .” It’s my honour to greet you.
We got your number from our employee referrals, recruitment platforms such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and other recruitment agencies, etc., and they forward your number.
Can you work from home with us as an official brand reviewer and surveyor part-time as a freelancer? It is not like a job; it’s just a simple way of working for you. No need to acquire time.
Joining is totally free; you can earn up to R1300 on a daily basis.
If you are interested, kindly let me know, and I’ll send you work nature.
Same here. Person Kailyn Haley from number 0818939002.
I just received the same message from “Katie Alves”
This is the message I received via WhatsApp.
The contact numbers are as follows: 071 179 5369
I’m , “Katie Alves” HR Associate From “PIXEL TURING Company .” It’s my honor to greet you.
We got your number from our employee referrals, recruitment platforms such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and other recruitment agencies Etc, and they forward your number.
Can you work from home with us as an official brand reviewer and surveyor part-time as a freelancer? It is not like a job; it’s just a simple way of working for you. No need to acquire time.
Joining is totally free; you can earn up to 1600 Rands on a daily basis.
If you are interested, kindly let me know, i’ll send you work nature.
Just received the whatsapp sms below:
Hello i am Jessica HR Assistant from PIXEL TURING Company.Actually We are looking Freelancers for our new project work for our company part time or full time.
May I share work details with you?
🟢Job Role is simple: Follow Whatsapp channels for our clients and get paid for the channels followed.
🟢Demo task completion Bonus 30 ZAR
🟢Daily Income: 600 to 1600 ZAR
🟢Working Time:Per task 3 to 5 minute in free time.
🟢It’s just a part-time work, you can do it in your free time,
🟢Payment will be transfer on any bank account.