Beware fake officials money scam, metro warns
The Lyttelton CPF says scammers are pressuring residents to hand over money by pretending their city accounts are in arrears.
Fraudsters posing as municipal officials are increasingly trying to defraud unsuspecting community members, according to the metro.
Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said several reports had been received of people extorting money by pretending to be Tshwane officials.
“The city has repeatedly urged residents not to engage in illegal activities and to report such incidents to the authorities immediately,” he said.
He explained that the Tshwane Metro Police Department had already launched investigations into illegal reconnections.
According to Mashigo, these operations had led to arrests of individuals for fraudulent activities, including illegal connections, reconnections and meter tampering.
He emphasised that genuine Tshwane officials can be easily identified.
“Legitimate city officials wear uniforms and identifiable name tags.”
He added that under no circumstances are officials allowed to accept cash payments from customers for municipal services.
Mashigo advised residents to always approach the municipality’s customer care centres for all service-related queries, rather than relying on unverified individuals.
“Any suspicious activity should be reported to the city without delay,” he added.
Addressing the perpetrators, Mashigo warned that the metro would not tolerate such behaviour.
“The city has a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. Anyone found guilty of any wrongdoing will face the full extent of disciplinary and legal action.”
He added that scammers could face severe legal repercussions.
Perpetrators risk facing arrest, prosecution and sentencing through the courts, which may result in imprisonment.
The latest warning from the city follows alerts issued earlier this month by the Lyttelton Community Policing Forum (CPF), which cautioned residents about scammers using such tactics.
According to Merle van Staden, chairperson of the Lyttelton Sector 2 CPF, the scammers are falsely claiming that residents’ municipal accounts are in arrears and are insisting that these accounts must be settled immediately.
“Victims are often pressured to make urgent payments or disclose personal banking information.”
She explained that the CPF had received a complaint from a resident who had been targeted by one of the scammers, prompting the forum to issue a community-wide alert.
Van Staden noted that the scam relies on fear and urgency, tactics commonly used to trick people into acting without thinking.
“This is a scam. Do not engage, and never make payments without verifying directly with the City of Tshwane through official contact channels,” she said.
“Residents are urged to remain vigilant and cautious, especially when dealing with financial matters.”
She also warned about several other scams currently circulating in the area.
These include:
– fake emails or SMSes claiming to be from banks or SARS,
– phone calls pretending to be police officers or private security companies,
– scams on Facebook Marketplace and WhatsApp, and
– emails demanding urgent payments or containing suspicious links.
Van Staden urged residents not to trust caller ID phone numbers, as they can be spoofed.
“If something feels off, it probably is. When in doubt, contact your CPF leadership team or the city of Tshwane directly for guidance,” she advised.
In order to protect themselves, Van Staden recommended that residents never share their PINs, OTPs, or account details with anyone.
She also encouraged the community to double-check payment requests with official institutions, avoid clicking on unfamiliar links or downloading unknown attachments, and report any suspicious activity to their bank and the South African Fraud Prevention Service.
“Let’s work together to stop scammers in their tracks.”
Rekord reached out to the police for comment on the matter, but did not receive any by the time of publication.
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