The City of Cape Town has issued an urgent alert to residents ahead of the festive season, cautioning them that scammers are stepping up efforts to target vulnerable individuals, especially those seeking housing opportunities.
According to officials, via the COCT website, reports of housing-related fraud tend to surge in November and December, with con artists exploiting social media posts, SMS, and WhatsApp messages to impersonate City officials and deceive people into paying for non-existent housing offers.
The City’s Human Settlements Directorate emphasises a critical red flag: legitimate communication will never ask for money or personal details via informal channels such as WhatsApp, SMS, or social media, whether for housing, water or electricity.
Councillor Carl Pophaim (Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements) reiterated the message: If you receive a message claiming to assist with housing ‘for a fee,’ it is fraudulent, residents should pause, verify, and report. The official Call Centre number 0860 103 089 and Fraud Hotline 0800 1100 77 have been provided for this purpose.
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Scammers often go to great lengths to appear legitimate, using fake official letterheads and impersonating City staff. The City urges anyone who has doubts to double-check by contacting the Human Settlements Call Centre at 021 444 0333 weekdays from 07:30 to 16:30.
Finally, residents on the City’s Housing Needs Register are reminded to keep their details up-to-date through authorised channels, and to avoid engaging with anyone who asks for payments or claims to fast-track housing placements. According to past reports, fraudsters have even said they’ll deliver title deeds, for a fee, for properties that don’t exist.
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