The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) has issued a stern warning to residents about an emerging scam in which criminals claim to be selling the City’s prepaid electricity at discounted rates through social media platforms.

According to the City, these fraudsters deceive unsuspecting residents by offering electricity tokens at reduced prices, a scheme that has already left some residents out of pocket.

The fake tokens, however, are not recognised by the City’s prepaid electricity meters, rendering them useless.

“It is important for residents to remain vigilant and only purchase electricity from authorised and approved City of Ekurhuleni vendors,” the City said in a statement.

“Any electricity bought from unverified sources will not be valid, and customers risk losing their hard-earned money.”

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The City’s Energy Department, in collaboration with the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), is actively investigating the matter and following up on leads to track down those responsible for the scam.

Residents who may have been approached by scammers or who have any information that could assist in their arrest and successful prosecution are urged to contact the nearest police station or call the City’s hotline on 0860 543 000.

A full list of approved electricity vendors is available on the City of Ekurhuleni’s official website.