The metro wishes to remind its customers to never pay any amount to any person claiming to be a municipal official, unless this payment takes place over the counter, inside the metro\u2019s rates halls.<\/p>\n
This follows reports of customers receiving hand-delivered letters and being approached by fraudsters who claim that the customer\u2019s meter was found to have been tampered with and that an immediate spot fine must be paid to avoid disconnection of power.<\/p>
Customers are also lured to install what it purported to be a prepaid meter, where the customer is scammed into believing that they will pay substantially less per kilowatt-hour if they switch to a prepaid meter.<\/p>\n
Once the customer accepts this \u201cupgrade\u201d, the monthly fees are not paid to the metro, but to the scammer.<\/p>
<\/p>\n
ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n Pharmacy medication collection to make life easier for clinic patients<\/a><\/p>\n Councillors learn about the importance of wetlands<\/a><\/p>\n Metro expands access to healthcare by extending operating hours for 29 clinics<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n If an unlawfully installed prepaid meter is discovered by the metro\u2019s meter auditors, the illegitimate prepaid meter will be confiscated and electricity supply will also be disconnected until a legitimate meter is installed by Ekurhuleni officials.<\/p>\n This will be followed by backdated billing as the metro would not have been receiving payments from the customer.<\/p>\n To avoid becoming a victim of crime, residents are advised to follow the following golden rules:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Do not make direct payments or pay spot fines to an individual claiming to be a municipal official. All payments must be over the counter inside any rates hall across the metro.<\/p>\n \u2022 Upon receiving a letter addressed from the metro, residents should make a follow-up call through the call centre or the 999 number provided in the letter before making any payments.<\/p>\n \u2022 Always request a legitimate receipt that can be kept as proof of payment.<\/p>\n Any illegal activities or suspicious behaviour should be reported through the municipal call centre on 086 054 3000.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za <\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n