Tshwane is warning ratepayers to be wary of scammers looking to extort funds from them.
The warning comes after residents in the east of Pretoria took to social media to voice their concerns over receiving WhatsApp messages threatening their electricity supply will be cut off.
In the latest trick to target unsuspecting residents the scammers are impersonating municipal electricity workers to dupe them into paying bribes or face their power being cut.
In one of the messages, such a threat reads: “Good day, it’s Paul Tshabalala from the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality it’s in regards to a scheduled disconnection for the property on 58 Leader Rd, Olympus… Because of an arrears in the municipal account. I tried calling earlier on, but your phone went on voice mail. We’re going to be at the premises in the next 2 hours.”
Another resident, Nicolene Van der Westhuizen, posted on social media that the alleged scammers had showed up at her house, claiming they needed to disconnect the power due to her account being in arrears.
“We were not home and the domestic gave them our contact details. They called us with the same story and even sent a digital version of the statement.
“They then said if we do an instant payment to their phone, they will have the account ‘squashed’ and cleared from the system,” said Van Der Westhuizen in her Facebook post.
The metro however warned residents to be cautious of scammers masquerading as municipal workers from electricity teams, wanting to extort money from them.
Spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the metro was aware of unknown people purporting to be officials and calling customers to threaten to disconnect their power supply.
Mashigo said the metro does not call or text customers to inform them their accounts are in arrears and that officials are coming to disconnect them.
“As part of the city’s revenue collection programme, technicians are dispatched, without warning, to disconnect properties that are in arrears.”
Mashigo said in situations where a customer receives a call from their credit control office, the official will introduce him- or herself, the reason for the call, the property which is owing, the amount owed and the last time payment was made to the account in question.
He said the customer would then be directed to make a payment at the nearest City of Tshwane Walk-in Customer Service Centre, or be advised to make a payment arrangement at the municipal offices.
“Alternatively, a customer would be advised to make a payment into the city’s bank account which will be provided by the official.”
Mashigo warned the public not to entertain these perpetrators, as it is a scam.
“We also wish to warn those who are trying to extort money from our customers that they will be arrested, charged and prosecuted, as their actions border on criminality.”
Mashigo said customers are advised to report suspicious activities to the police or the city’s fraud hotline on 080 874 9263.
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