City of Cape Town warns residents of FIVE top scams

The City of Cape Town has warned residents about a growing range of scams targeting Capetonians through fake WhatsApp messages, social media posts and other unofficial channels.

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The scams cover everything from threats of water and electricity disconnections to fake job and housing opportunities.

The City is urging residents to pause and verify any request for payment before handing over money or personal information.

“The City is alerted regularly about various incidents where residents are contacted, often via WhatsApp, by individuals falsely claiming to represent the City,” said Mayoral Committee Member for Finance, Alderman Siseko Mbandezi.

According to the City, scammers often claim that municipal accounts are in arrears and demand immediate payment to prevent services from being disconnected.

Others promise employment or access to housing in exchange for money, while some pose as officials dealing with traffic fines.

The top five scams

1. Water and electricity disconnection scams

The City does not notify residents of service disconnections via WhatsApp or social media.

Municipal employees and contractors will also never ask residents to pay via e-wallet services such as eWallet or CashSend, or into a personal bank account.

2. Fake housing offers

Residents are warned about criminals demanding payment in exchange for access to state-subsidised housing.

The City does not charge residents to register on the Housing Needs Register or to receive a state-subsidised home.

3. Fake traffic fine requests

Scammers may contact residents via SMS, email or WhatsApp demanding payment for outstanding traffic fines.

The City advises residents to check their traffic fines through its official channels and make payments using approved payment platforms.

4. Parking fee scams

Parking fees must be paid directly to official parking marshals at the time of parking.

Residents who have outstanding parking-related payments are advised to contact the City and make arrangements rather than paying individuals through unofficial channels.

5. Fake City job opportunities

The City does not recruit through WhatsApp messages, flyers or word of mouth.

It also does not charge applicants for job opportunities, including jobseeker forms, interviews, contracts, Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) or internship opportunities.

‘Pause and verify’

Mbandezi said residents should be particularly cautious when approached by someone claiming to represent the City and requesting payment.

“Remember, if an offer sounds too good to be true, it usually is,” he said.

“Residents are reminded that payments must only be made through official City payment channels. The City does not use WhatsApp to notify residents of account arrears or service disconnections.”

The City said no official may request payment into a personal bank account, via e-wallet or through other informal payment methods.

Residents are encouraged to verify suspicious requests through official City channels before making any payment.

The City said working together with residents, and taking the time to pause and verify requests, could help prevent scammers from exploiting members of the public.

Report suspicious activity and verify:

• Call Centre: 0860 103 089
• Fraud Hotline: 0800 32 31 30
• Email: [email protected]
• SAPS: Contact your nearest police station (SAPS remains the lead authority in crime prevention).

When last did you fall victim to a scam?

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