Niël Terblanché
The Swakopmund Municipality has warned residents about the latest method used to extort money from unsuspecting victims.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the Swakopmund Municipality, Linda Mupupa, it has come to the council’s attention that scammers are impersonating the Mayor of Swakopmund, Dina Namubes in a bid to extort funds from residents.
“While scams and identity theft are always something to be highly aware of, the council urges residents to be extra vigilant and wary of any suspicious phone calls or text messages requesting payment related to a vehicle breakdown, traffic fines, payment of tickets, water bills, housing and other municipal-related accounts,” she said.
Mupupa warned residents that neither the Mayor of Swakopmund, the Chief Executive Officer nor other Municipal officials will request that funds be paid directly to them or into their private accounts.
“All payments are to be made at the relevant cashiers, at the Municipal Head Office, Matutura Satellite PayPoint and the Rest Camp. All traffic-related payments can be made at the magistrate court or NATIS Offices,” she said.
Earlier this month, the Municipality of Walvis Bay also warned residents to guard against a scam that was perpetrated on individual account holders.
The local authority said that an individual, operating under the name of De Waal, falsely claimed to be a senior municipal official.
The scammer alleged that customers’ water supply is at risk of being disconnected because their accounts are in arrears.
The local authority warned residents of Walvis Bay to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant to avoid falling victim to the scheme.
The Municipality of Walvis Bay advised residents that it does not initiate phone calls demanding immediate payments into personal accounts from residents.
“Be wary of any unsolicited calls requesting the immediate settlement of an account,” the local authority warned.
Residents were urged to exercise caution when approached by individuals posing as municipality representatives and to refrain from making any form of payment into personal accounts or to suspicious individuals without verifying their identity.
Residents were also warned to never disclose personal information, such as identification numbers or bank account details, to strangers or unfamiliar parties.
The local authority said that it is very important for residents of Walvis Bay to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activity related to the scam to law enforcement agencies.
Residents are also encouraged to contact the Walvis Bay Municipality directly to verify the authenticity of claims made by the scammers.
