The eThekwini Municipality’s Energy Management Directorate is urging residents to remain vigilant following a recent report of criminals impersonating Municipal officials to extort money from unsuspecting customers.
The Directorate has expressed serious concern over the continued prevalence of attempted extortion cases where individuals pose as City employees.
In a recent incident reported in Bonela, a resident received a phone call from an individual claiming to be a Municipal official.
The caller informed the customer that their electricity supply was due to be disconnected as a result of alleged outstanding arrears. The caller appeared credible as they had access to the customer’s residential address.
However, suspicions arose when the caller suggested that the disconnection instruction could be cancelled if the customer transferred R850 via an eWallet payment.
The Directorate is working closely with the City Integrity and Investigations Directorate (CIID) to investigate these incidents, particularly amid growing concerns of potential employee involvement as residents’ internal information is accessed or shared.
The safety and protection of residents remain of paramount importance. The City maintains a zero-tolerance approach to criminal conduct and will continue to work with relevant authorities to address these unlawful activities.
Residents are urged to assist the Municipality in combating this scourge by taking the following precautions:
- Report any suspicious activity immediately to law enforcement authorities: SAPS: 10111, City Integrity and Investigations Directorate (CIID): 0800 20 20 20
- Always verify the identification credentials of any person claiming to be a Municipal official before granting them access to your property.
- Never make payments directly to individuals claiming to represent the Municipality. All Municipal payments must only be made through official Municipal offices or approved City payment channels.