Residents are urged to be cautious after a scam targeting local homeowners has been reported. Fraudsters are sending fake WhatsApp messages, claiming to be from the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, warning of an imminent electricity disconnection due to unpaid municipal bills.
The scam message reads:
"Good day, it's Bongani Mashaba from City Of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. It's in regards to a scheduled disconnection for the property at [address], due to arrears on your municipal account. I tried calling earlier but your phone went to voicemail. We’ll be at the premises in the next 2 hours."
The scammers then ask residents to send an e-wallet payment of R1850 to avoid the disconnection. A follow-up message claims that the payment will "cancel the disconnection”.
Councillor Naeem Patel has issued a statement to alert the community, confirming that the City of Tshwane will never send WhatsApp messages threatening disconnections in such a manner.
“This is a scam. Please ignore these messages, and do not engage with the scammers. If you receive such a message, record it and report any suspicious activity to authorities,” said Cllr Patel.
Residents are reminded to always verify any communication from the municipality and never send money to unknown contacts. If anyone visits your home claiming to be from the City of Tshwane, ensure they provide proper identification before allowing access.
Stay vigilant and protect yourself from fraud.
