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Johannesburg residents have been warned about a growing scam in which fraudsters pose as Joburg Water representatives, sending fake messages claiming residents are in arrears and demanding immediate payment to avoid a service disconnection.
Numerous residents across different wards have received suspicious SMS and WhatsApp messages threatening water disconnections unless immediate payments are made.
Ward 73 councillor Eleanor Huggett confirmed that multiple residents had contacted her about these messages.
“I had three residents checking with me regarding this, but other councillors also reported having the same in their wards. Everyone realised it was a scam it seems. That is the hope,” Huggett said.
Upon learning of the scam, Huggett said she immediately notified Johannesburg Water, which subsequently issued a public alert to warn residents.
“See something, say something! Failing to report bribery allows corruption to grow unchecked. Speak up and help protect your community by reporting bribery,” the notice read.
The following communication avenues can be used to reach out to Joburg Water to report a crime:
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Unfortunately, victims of such scams have limited options for recovering their money.
Huggett emphasised the challenges in pursuing these cybercriminals.
“I very much doubt Johannesburg Water has the resources to investigate these cyber scams. I strongly suggest if you’ve fallen victim to this scam to report it to the South African Police Service (Saps) so they have a record of this should the perpetrators ever be caught,” Huggett advised.
“There is generally nothing residents can do if they have fallen victim to any scam such as this to actually reclaim their money.”
The Citizen reached out to Joburg Water for comment, this article will be updated once it is received.
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The most effective defence against these scams is public awareness. Johannesburg Water and local councillors are focusing on education efforts to prevent residents from falling victim.
“The way to handle this is to constantly warn residents that they should never respond to these threats and none of the Johannesburg entities EVER ask for money to be sent to them in this manner. Ever!,” Huggett said.
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In response to the rise of in-person scams where impostors pose as Joburg water employees, the utility issued guidelines to help residents identify authorised personnel.
The entity said that all legitimate employees and contractors must be properly identifiable when visiting homes or businesses.
“Johannesburg Water would like to alert residents of impostors posing as employees or contractors,” it said in its official communication.
According to Johannesburg Water, all authorised personnel conducting revenue management functions – including meter readers, meter auditors, disconnection technicians and illegal connection investigators – must adhere to strict identification protocols.
They must be in uniform, carry a Johannesburg Water or contractor identity card, and their names and pictures should be verifiable on the Johannesburg Water website.
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Residents with concerns about the legitimacy of individuals claiming to represent Johannesburg Water can verify their identity through the official website.
Johannesburg Water has provided the following specific links for verification of meter readers, senior meter readers, meter reading auditors and new contractors.
Councillor Tim Truluck compiled verification links as part of ongoing efforts to protect residents from fraudulent schemes targeting utility customers.
The following links can be used to verify Joburg Water personnel:
The entity has also urged residents not to provide personal information or financial resources to unauthorised individuals.
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