Fake municipal officials scam Roodepoort residents
Residents are advised to be extra cautious.
A syndicate posing as municipal officials has been targeting residents in Constantia Kloof and Weltevreden Park (Ward 89), scamming them out of money by threatening electricity disconnection.
Five residents were duped into paying the fraudsters, who visited their homes pretending to represent the City of Johannesburg, or its power utility, City Power.
Ward 89 councillor Zander Shawe said the scam was brought to his attention in October last year. Some of the imposters reportedly wore fake uniforms and carried falsified identification.
“These scammers have access to residents’ contact details and addresses. I’m not sure how they obtain this information, but people need to stay vigilant,” said Shawe.
Many affected residents now feel vulnerable, concerned that others could fall victim too.
Shawe offered the following advice to help residents protect themselves:
• Verify account details with City of Johannesburg:
Customers can verify their account details via the official channels available. Residents can also visit the Civic Centre at 100 Christiaan de Wet Road, Florida, or email RegionCRevenue@joburg.org.za.
• Report suspicious activity:
If you receive a suspicious call or message, contact your ward councillor to report it.
• Use official payment methods:
Never hand over cash or make payments to individuals. Use only City of Johannesburg’s recognised payment platforms.
Shawe clarified that City of Johannesburg does not notify residents of disconnections via WhatsApp or personal phone calls.
“City of Johannesburg does not engage with residents one-on-one over WhatsApp before a disconnection. Stay alert – this can happen to anyone at any time.”
The Roodepoort Northsider also spoke to one of the victims, who asked to remain anonymous.
“There was no clear information about this. When people come to your home in uniform, you trust them. But now, we can’t trust anyone. We appreciate our councillor’s efforts to fight this,” the resident said.
The Northsider approached City Power for comment on the scam and possible recourse for residents, but no response had been received at the time of publication.
