CoE warns residents of payment scam

The CoE warns residents about a scam in which individuals contact ratepayers and demand money to prevent ‘scheduled disconnections’ due to allegedly overdue municipal accounts.

These scammers send WhatsApp messages requesting payment via EWallet services to avoid electricity cut-offs.

City spokesperson Zweli Dlamini stated, “It is important you, as our trusted clients and business associates, are warned that this is a scam, and the city distances itself from this illicit practice.”

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He assured residents that the city is investigating the scam’s origins to put an end to it.

The city urges anyone with information about the scam to report it through the call centres, walk-in centres, or the My CoE app.

To help residents avoid falling victim to this scam, the city provided the following information:

• The city does not call clients about service disconnections. Clients will receive a pre-termination notice at least 14 days after the payment due date has lapsed.

• If no payment is made by the set date, city employees with Ekurhuleni identification cards and marked Ekurhuleni vehicles will disconnect conventional electricity users and leave a disconnection notice with the amount payable for reconnection.

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• Prepaid users will have their meters blocked.

• Contractors will never visit a client’s house to discuss disconnection issues. They simply terminate the service from outside the property.

• Customers should report any irregular practices to the municipality immediately.

Residents are urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the CoE.