The City of Cape Town has urged residents to be on alert and aware of a scam doing the rounds where fraudsters solicit money from City customers to avoid supposed water restrictions or disconnections due to non-payment.
Scammers contact a City customer, via telephone or WhatsApp, claiming to be from the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate and they then provide the relevant property details advising that the water to the property will be disconnected immediately due to the municipal account being in arrears.
The customer is then told that, to avoid water supply disconnection and the subsequent reconnection fee, a payment in excess of R2 000 must be made via cash send or e-wallet.
At least two separate incidents of this nature have been reported to the City, affecting customers whose municipal accounts were up to date.
Report any suspicious behaviour to the City’s law enforcement agencies or the City’s Fraud Hotline on 0800 1100 77 or to the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Customers are encouraged to make use of the various City communication channels to verify any communication they receive from the City by calling 0860 103 089, SMS to 31373 (maximum 160 characters, free SMSes do not apply), WhatsApp on 060 018 1505, email water@capetown.gov.za or log a service request (called a C3 request).
Mayoral committee member for water and sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, appealed to residents to be extra vigilant and rather verify any suspicious correspondence that they receive directly with the City.
“We are particularly concerned about customers who do find themselves in arrears with their municipal accounts that would easily be lured to make payments, to avoid their water from being disconnected or restricted,” he said.
