Cape Town: The City of Cape Town warns the residents of scam artists who claims to disconnect the water supply. The Water and Sanitation department of the town urged the residents to stay alert and aware of a scam that doing the rounds, where money is being solicited from the city customers to avoid the supposed water restrictions or disconnections due to non-payment.
Reportedly, the Water and Sanitation Directorate of the City warned regarding the scam and advised the residents to report all suspicious behaviour or requests to the City of Cape Town and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The Officials have requested to report any suspicious behaviour to the Law Enforcement Agencies or the City’s Fraud Hotline contact number or the SAPS, who is the lead authority in crime prevention.
As per the sources, the city has been made aware of a new scam where the scammer contact the city customers through a phone-call or by messaging them on WhatsApp, who claimed to be from the Water and Sanitation Directorate of the City.
After receiving the relevant property details of the customers upon advising them on the immediate water disconnection due to the municipal account being in arrears. The customers are then told to avoid the water supply disconnection and the subsequent reconnection fee, a payment in excess of R2000 must be made via cash send or e-wallet.
As of now, two separate incidents have been reported to the City of Cape Town that affected the customers in Parklands and Durbanville whose municipal accounts were both up to date.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Water and Sanitation – Councillor Zahid Badroodien said that they appeal to the residents to remain extra vigilant and rather than that verify any suspicious correspondence which they receive directly with the city.
Councillor Badroodien said, “We are particularly concerned about the customers who do find themselves in arrears with their municipal accounts, as these are something that would easily be lured to make payments, especially to avoid their water from being disconnected or restricted.”
