Beware of changing of banking details scam

City of Johannesburg director of customer communications, Kgamanyane Maphologela said at no point will the City send its clients an e-mail regarding information of a sensitive nature. “We therefore urge all our customers if they receive such suspicious e-mails to alert the City,” Maphologela said. He stated that if customers were unsure of any information they receive by e-mail, they should either call the customer care centre or visit their nearest office.

The City was made aware of the scam by one of its customers who received a fraudulent e-mail alleging that the City had changed its banking account. The City’s fraud unit, together with the implicated bank, are investigating the matter.

Maphologela added that the City had tightened its security by, among others, no longer publishing its bank account number. This is to combat any fraudulent activity linked to the payment of municipal accounts. Instead, the City has a unique beneficiary number such as AA45 for over the counter deposits at Standard Bank and is a pre-listed beneficiary for electronic and ATM payments.

He urged customers to always keep their nine-digit municipal account number handy when making payments and to follow normal payment methods to avoid fraudsters. Maphologela said, “The customer’s nine-digit municipal account is their unique customer reference number which they should always have handy for safer payments.”

Payments can be made over the counter at any Standard Bank branch, countywide.

Customers using this method must fill in the unique beneficiary number allocated to City of Johannesburg: AA45 in the account number field. Always remember to use your nine-digit municipal account number in the depositor’s name or reference field. This will ensure the deposit is allocated to the correct municipal account. Payments over the counter must be accompanied by the customer’s account number. If a customer pays via Internet banking, they must firstly delete the old CoJ beneficiary (Absa, Account Number 405 439 8463); and then add a new beneficiary from the pre-loaded beneficiary list with the title: City of Johannesburg Company Beneficiary. Customers must use their nine-digit municipal account number as their reference.

Customers who make payments via stop order, telephone banking or the ATM must change banking details at their own banks. Debit order customers need not make any changes. Customers who pay via Easypay pay points such as Pick n Pay, Checkers and Woolworths are not impacted. They should, however, remember to take along their barcoded municipal account and take note that their payment may take up to five days to register on the City’s system. Customers can also pay their municipal account, in cash, at any of the 50 customer service centres city-wide.