The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has warned that it will take legal action against those who create and spread misinformation.

The scheme says it notes with concern a social media post in which a student says she received more than R600,000 in funding. NSFAS says no such payments were made to any students.

“NSFAS has noted a social media post alleging that a student received a payment of R630, 434.44 from the Scheme. This claim is false and misleading.”

NSFAS added that an internal investigation has been conducted and revealed that the image is manipulated and appears to be artificially generated using AI.

“The student in question created this content for social media purposes, likely to gain traction as part of content creation opportunities on platforms.”

The scheme clarified that it does not make large lump-sum payments directly to students. Instead, funds are paid to institutions, which then distribute allowances under strict financial controls.

“These systems are governed by strict financial controls and oversight mechanisms. We want to assure students, institutions, and the public that NSFAS systems remain secure and there has been no irregular payment or breach associated with this claim.”