It has come to the CoE’s attention that individuals are contacting ratepayers and demanding money to stop ‘scheduled disconnections’ because their municipal accounts are in arrears.
Their modus operandi is to send customers a WhatsApp requesting payment through EWallet services to block the supposedly pending electricity cut-off.
“It is important you, as our trusted clients and business associates are warned this is a scam, and the city distances itself from this illicit practice,” says the city spokesperson, Zweli Dlamini.
“The city is investigating the scam’s origins and those behind it so we can put an end to it. Anyone with more information on this scam is requested to share the information with the city either via the call centre, walk-in centres, or the My CoE app.”
It is critical customers take note of the following information to avoid falling victim to the scammers:
• The city does not make phone calls to clients about service disconnection.
• Clients will always receive a pre-termination notice at least 14 days after their payment due date has lapsed.
• Should clients fail to pay by the set date, the city’s employees with Ekurhuleni identification cards travelling in marked Ekurhuleni vehicles will do the rounds to disconnect conventional electricity users and leave a disconnection notice with an amount payable for reconnection.
• Prepaid users will have their meters blocked.
• Contractors will not go to a client’s house to discuss disconnection issues because they terminate the service from outside the property.
Should this irregular practice happen, the customer is requested to report the incident to the municipality.
