The City of Cape Town has warned residents individuals, posing as a City electricity officials, asking for details about the customer’s prepaid electricity meter in an attempt to gain access to their home.
In one incident in the Oak Glen, Bellville area, a suspect visited a home and asked for the prepaid electricity meter number in an attempt to gain access to the house.
However, the homeowner did not allow the fake official inside.Â
According to the City, the scammers tend to work in pairs and encourage a resident to open the front door so that electricity infrastructure, including the meter, can be checked. While one scammer talks to the resident, the other steals small, personal items including purses and cellphones.
Mayoral committee member for energy and climate change, Phindile Maxiti, said: “All municipal workers and contractors must carry a work-order number specific to that dwelling and a City-issued identification card. Residents should ask to check the official identification card before allowing anyone onto their property.”
Residents can verify whether visitors to their home are in fact employed by the City by phoning the Call Centre on 0860 103 089 to confirm whether work is being carried out in their area.