Period of love: ECG, flush out disturbing scammers in your midst
How would anyone choose February, the month of love, to inflict panic and fear if anything at all?
Unfortunately, that is the world one has come to know.
It was exactly 1.58 pm when my phone rang on Wednesday.
The number making the call was unfamiliar.
However, curiosity and the least suspected negative speculation in a month of love pushed me to answer the call.
The unfamiliar caller mentioned my name and went on to prefix it with “Auntie”, a title that in our environment is becoming a symbol of respect, especially when the person using it is not a relation.
He went straight on to introduce himself as Engineer Somebody from the Dansoman Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
He was calling regarding the replacement of my electricity meter.
I was curious because I have an outstanding business with ECG.
I, therefore, went ahead to engage him for a good eight minutes, twenty-three seconds, because I have been waiting on ECG for my meter replacement for nearly two years now.
Scammer
The guy, however, pushed his prowess a bit far and that gave him out on the onset as a scammer.
He was in a rush to talk about money, thinking he had hit the jackpot that afternoon, perhaps forgetting that with the meter change, customers were informed that the company was doing the replacements for free.
When challenged on the payment aspect, he quickly changed his narrative.
This time, he admitted his error and said the only payment I needed to make was to buy new units, which they would transfer onto the new meter they would install, since it might take a week before ECG credits me with whatever units the old meter had.
To speed up the process, this man asked me to send GH¢200 via mobile money (Momo) so they could buy credit for me and bring it along with my receipt. He gave me a phone number to transfer the money to.
It was at that point that he betrayed himself a second time when I asked what name was on the phone account he is requiring me to pay the Momo transfer in.
Surprisingly, it was not an ECG account. Rather, it was in an individual’s name, which he said was his son’s.
My suspicion was even more heightened. Why would anyone ask a customer to pay for an official ECG service through a son’s Momo account?
The urgency he put on the Momo transfer betrayed him as a suspect for fraud.
I quickly did some homework, conferring with like minds for advice, as well as a couple of persons I knew at the Dansoman ECG office for confirmation or otherwise if any of their engineers went by the name given.
I did not get back to the guy who, by this time, was proving to be a scammer.
At 5.25 pm, he called me again, saying that since they had not heard from me and no payment had been made into the Momo account, the office was closing for the day and they would call me the following day to schedule a time for installation once payment was made.
I told him I had made some checks and was not going to make any transfer.
The case was laid to rest from my side.
I am using this medium to send a wakeup call to ECG and to let them know that there are scammers in their midst and they should watch out if they are continuing with the suspension of meter changes from two years ago.
The reality of today is that the more the world advances in technology, the more scams and other IT-related dubious transactions evolve.
Whether it is in the banks or with mobile money transactions, customers are continually receiving raw deals from criminals who spend their day, twenty-four hours, following customer transactions online and digging holes to find out how they could siphon money from them.
Warnings
Of late, there have been a number of adverts and text message warnings by banks and mobile money operators educating customers and the general public on how to detect or stay away from swindles.
Such increasing education and awareness creation, no doubt, have reduced criminal activities in money transfers and internet banking.
The call I received from a so-called ECG Engineer points to me that suspects are finding loopholes in the business of electricity meters to make money.
ECG should quickly nip this cheating of customers in the bud with all the attention needed.
I am sure I am not the first and I would not be the last for this near scam to be sprung on.
The Company should embark on a relentless media education so no one falls prey to the meter or any other form of cheating customers.
With all their many offices and agents spread across the country, ECG can easily spread the word around.
In addition, they could begin to give unsolicited alerts to customers on how to stay away from meter fraud or any other ECG-related fraud.
Above all, ECG should introduce toll-free numbers where suspected criminals can be reported in cases of fraud.
Their focus should not only be on illegal connections and revenue mobilisation. Customers need their protection as well.
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