Scammers are targeting residents waiting for RDP houses and posing of officials to convince them to part with their money by promising them a move up the waiting list.

The City of Ekhuruleni has issued a warning to the public to be extremely vigilant after incidents surfaced where scammers used a new scheme to obtain money from desperate home buyers.

The fraudsters promised to move them up the housing waiting list.

According to Zweli Dlamini, in the most recent scam, con artists ask people who have applied for RDP houses to contact them via a statement for a supposed housing allocation.

“The city is taking steps to separate itself from the con artist’s statement. Reassurances are given to the public that RDP homes and serviced stands are not up for grabs,” says Dlamini.

The city and council members contact the eligible beneficiaries to provide them with regular updates on the status of their housing allocation.

This process is used to allocate serviced lots and low-cost homes.

The public is urged to report any instances of housing fraud to the SAPS or the National Anti-Corruption Hotline at 0800 701 701.