THE public are being warned to be vigilant of fake prepaid electricity sales scams on social media. The Bluff Ratepayers and Residents Association (BRRA) reported that scammers are targeting unsuspecting individuals.

The scams deceive customers by offering fake prepaid vouchers at discounted rates online. A recent victim has reported the incident on The Bluff.

Chairperson of the BRRA Allison Schoeman said:

“I have been approached by a member of the community for legal advice who suspected that they have been scammed. The matter was reported to the police. The BRRA has issued a warning to the public about the ongoing electricity scams which seems to target elderly people,” said Schoeman.

Last month, Eskom advised the public that the scammers use different tactics to lure the victims into believing that the offer is valid and legit.

According to a statement from Eskom, once payment is made to the fraudulent website, often through electronic funds transfer (EFT) services at major supermarkets, the scammers disappear with the money, and no credit tokens are received.

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What are some of the red flags to watch out for?

• Scammers ask victims to make payments using the Cashsend method
• They put pressure on their victims to make a payment urgently
• Electricity units are cheaper than normal
• Scammers will often tell the victim that tokens are loaded from their side
• The scammer will ask for activation fee

“In some cases, the scammers even impersonate the Eskom brand to deceive unsuspecting customers. Eskom is working closely with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (DPCI) Serious Economic Offences Unit to address these scams,” said Eskom in a statement.

How to make sure you are buying real recharge credits? 

• Any discounted electricity offers on social media are fraudulent and illegal.
• If you are offered ‘discounted electricity’ anywhere, you are being scammed and you are buying ‘illegal’ electricity from an illegal vendor. Eskom urges customers to remain cautious and only purchase electricity through authorised channels.
• Legitimate sales can be made at their nearest retail outlets such as Shoprite, Boxer, Usave, Pick ‘n Pay, filling stations, banking apps, or recognised electricity vendors.

Also read: Joint police operation yields positive results on The Bluff

For a list of authorised vendors, the public are advised to click on this link.

Eskom encourages the public to come forward with any information related to unlawful activities including:

• Illegal electricity sales
• Fraud
• Theft of coal, fuel oil, diesel, and critical and essential infrastructure crimes.

How to report to Eskom?

Reports can be made anonymously through the Eskom Crime Line at the following numbers:

• 0800 11 27 22
• WhatsApp on 081 333 3323.

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