Electricity meter scam resurfaces

WITH the ever increasing utility costs and the recent concern over our environmental impact many people have been searching for ways to curb their electricity usage.

It is thus no surprise that fraudsters have taken notice of the trend and utilised it to scam hundreds of people out of thousands of rands – in most cases their targeted victims were elderly people.

After intense media coverage and warnings the fraudsters seemed to have taken a ‘small vacation’ – until recent months.

Authorities have once again been receiving complaints about fraudsters, pretending to be municipal officials selling residents either pre-paid electricity meters or energy saving meters.

An elderly Durban North couple, who wished to remain anonymous, was scammed out of a R1 000, after two men dressed in municipal clothes sold them a meter. 

“They used very technical terms to explain to us how the device would save us money. I believed that they tried to baffle us by using complicated scientific terms. They know that 99 per cent of elderly people won’t understand and will believe what they are saying,” said the wife.

She only became suspicious of the men when one of the fraudester’s questions became too intrusive. “He asked whether we had a savings account and several other questions that seemed far too intrusive to be of any use to him. Initially it seemed legitimate,” she added. After selling the couple the meter he promised that someone would be sent to install it, but to date no one has arrived. 

They also reported that one of their friends from Morningside, who is in her late 70s, was also scammed out of R5 000, by a similar fraudster. “We have also heard of several cases in Pinetown,” she added.

Last week eThekwini Municipality’s head of communications, Tozi Mthethwa, warned residents against fraudsters posing as council employees, “These suppliers are using the eThekwini name to gain entry into people’s homes, claiming that they want to advise them on energy savings, meter installations and/or readings and to perform other alleged Council related work.”

Shaun Ryley, councillor of ward 36, warned resident to carefully scrutinize any company or product, which make such claims. “I have received numerous call from residents reporting such activity. They are in no way affiliated with Eskom or the municipality. They go out of their way to make it seem legitimate,” he said.

Residents with information related to cases of fraud, corruption, maladministration and human rights violation in the municipality, are urged to report such cases to the City Integrity and Investigations Unit on 0800 202 020 toll free or on telephone 031 311 4002. Emailombuds@durban.gov.za