Attempting to exploit a society in a state of national emergency is surely scraping the barrel of human decency. Reports are coming from community groups that criminals are posing as inspectors looking to detect COVID-19 in homes, only to rob or cause harm to residents.
Ward 71 councillor, René Benjamin echoed the warning, asking residents not open their homes to any person claiming to offer medical services. “Please be aware of people coming around to houses pretending to offer sterilising and virus tests. There’s no such programme at the moment. Please be careful and attentive,” she stated via social media.
ER24 confirmed that they too were aware of the heinous ploy. “Please take note that ER24 does not conduct field testing and will not visit your home to offer COVID-19 tests. Please be cautious. Should any person impersonating ER24 offer you this testing service, please contact our National Emergency Contact Centre on 084 124 to report it,” confirmed ER24 via their Facebook page.
[CAUTION] We have been made aware of alleged incidents where people posing as emergency medical personnel go door to door and offer COVID-19 testing / screening. ER24 does not offer a home test.
Read more…https://t.co/16zgB1Yddd@Abramjee
— ER24 EMS (Pty) Ltd. (@ER24EMS) March 16, 2020
Should anybody encounter any person offering home testing or attempting to gain access to a property through this claim, they are asked to contact the police, their security company or their preferred neighbourhood watch immediately.
