'Cut-off scammers' hit Jhb
2007-10-18 07:22
Johannesburg - The city has uncovered a scheme in which a "close corporation" issued the city's customers with fraudulent cut-off warnings and requested payment of outstanding balances, it was announced on Wednesday.
The city said the scam required people to pay their municipal accounts into a Standard Bank account and promised to restore disconnected services.
Acting director of communications Mandy Jean Woods said: "Disconnections and installations of services in Johannesburg are performed by specific contractors, from whom people are entitled to demand identification."
Woods said the fraud was detected when several customers contacted the city to query payments not reflected on their accounts.
One bank handles Jhb accounts
She said people were entitled to ask and verify the identity of whoever handled the city's municipal-related services and payments should be made to only Absa bank.
"The city banks only with Absa, so any payments should be paid only into an Absa account.
"Contractors are not allowed to ask for money for any type of work they carry out on behalf of the city. That should be reported immediately," she said.
The incidents are being investigated.
City payments can be made at any of the following EasyPay sites: Pick 'n Pay, Woolworths, Shoprite-Checkers and at the SA Post Office or via an ATM of any of the major banks.
- SAPA