Fraudsters across Ghana are targeting electricity customers with fake meter sales and fraudulent mobile money payment calls, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) warned this week. The scams involve individuals posing as ECG staff or agents, demanding payments through private MoMo numbers, and disappearing once money changes hands.
The company’s General Manager for External Communications, Dr Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, laid out the schemes in a recent interview. “ECG runs a fully cashless system,” he said. “All payments must go through the ECG Power App or the shortcode *226#.” Any money sent to a personal MoMo number does not reach ECG and will not be credited on customers’ accounts.
One scam involves fake meter sales. Fraudulent sellers advertise new meters on WhatsApp, TikTok, and other social media platforms, promising quick installation for a fee. Customers pay, but the supposed agents vanish. In some cases, buyers receive unregistered meters that ECG treats as illegal connections.
“ECG does not sell meters through individuals,” Dr Ayiku said. He urged customers to apply for new meters or services only through official channels such as district offices or the ECG Power App, and to pay the approved fees via those platforms.
The second scheme starts with a phone call. The caller claims to be an ECG employee informing the customer their meter is ready. The call ends with a demand for immediate payment to a mobile money wallet. “Our staff do not ask customers to pay into personal mobile money wallets,” Dr Ayiku said. “Treat any such call as a fraud attempt.”
These scams rely on creating urgency, pushing customers to pay before verifying the details. “They want you to pay before you check the facts,” Dr Ayiku explained. He urged customers to take their time and verify every payment request.
The ECG offered practical advice to avoid falling victim. Customers should never send money to a MoMo number provided by a caller, even if the caller claims to be ECG staff. They should avoid buying meters from individuals, online adverts, or WhatsApp contacts. The only safe methods to buy power and pay bills are the ECG Power App or the shortcode *226#.
Customers were also cautioned to keep their PINs, passwords, and verification codes private. When someone arrives at home or business claiming to represent ECG, customers should always ask to see a staff ID card. Suspicious calls should be ended immediately and reported to both ECG and the police.
The company’s warning comes amid increasing reports of theft schemes exploiting the growing reliance on mobile money payments. ECG’s insistence on a fully cashless system through official platforms aims to reduce fraud and protect customers from financial loss.
Dr Ayiku concluded by reiterating the importance of vigilance. “Pay only through the ECG Power App or *226#,” he said. “Treat all other payment requests as fraud and report them.”
According to Joy Online.
