HOAX – ‘Men Claiming to be From Water Company Robbing Homes at Gunpoint’

Outline

Social media message warns users that a group of men are posing as water or electricity company workers to gain access to homes and then rob the householders at gunpoint.

Brief Analysis

The claims in the warning are untrue. The message is a mutated version of a fake warning that began circulating in Dubai back in 2012. Dubai police dismissed the warning as a baseless rumour. Sharing this false information will help nobody.

Example

Hay, 3 or 4 guys may visit your home claiming they are from water company, to install shower caps, to save water! They may claim they are from Eskom to change light bulbs for free! They have been spotted in several areas. Plz do NOT let them into your homes. They are Robbers robbing people at gun-point. Plz alert all your contacts, as you may save a life.

Make sure door is locked at all times. FWD (seen on another site)

Detailed Analysis

Fake Warning Tells of Water and Electricity Company Robberies:

This false warning, which is circulating via email, SMS, and social media, claims that ‘3 or 4 guys’ are robbing householders at gunpoint by pretending to be water or electricity company workers. Once they gain access, claims the message, the men rob the householders at gunpoint.

There are no credible reports about robberies like the ones described in the warning.

‘Warning’ Originated in Dubai:

The message first began circulating in Dubai back in 2012. The original version claimed that the criminals were posing as Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) or Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) workers. The message also mentioned Eskom, a South African based electricity supplier.

The Dubai version appeared to be signed by a DEWA employee and included the company logo and Government of Dubai seal.

Police and Company Dismissed the Rumour as Untrue:

However, police in Dubai dismissed the warning as a baseless rumour. A September 2012 GulfNews.com article noted:

Police are warning residents not to believe spam messages that have been posted over social networking sites claiming that employees from the electricity and water authority are robbing people’s homes at gunpoint.
[…]
Lt Col Ahmad Humaid Al Marri, Director of the Criminal Investigations Division at Dubai Police, confirmed to Gulf News that the message is merely a rumour and is baseless.

‘Residents should not panic and no robberies of this nature have taken place anywhere in Dubai. None of these alleged crimes have been reported to police and we urge people not to cause panic among the community and spread such malicious rumours,’ said Lt Col Al Marri.

DEWA also dismissed the story as false. The message did not come from DEWA or the other companies mentioned and a DEWA employee did not sign it.

New Version Changes Details But is Still False:

The newer variant of the hoax omits references to DEWA and SEWA and just refers rather vaguely to an unidentified water company. It still mentions Eskom, but the DEWA signature and logo, and the government seal have been removed.

Despite the changes, the new version of the message is just as false as the old.

Sharing This False Message Will Help Nobody:

Unfortunately, many false and misleading warnings circulate online. These messages can:

Cause unnecessary fear and alarm in communities
Waste the time of police who must answer endless queries about the messages from concerned members of the public

Make it less likely that people will heed genuine warnings.

If you receive one of these bogus warnings, please do not share it.

While This is a Hoax, Caution is Still Required:

Of course, while this particular warning is false, criminals have indeed posed as maintenance workers as a means of accessing households. Before admitting people claiming to be from your water, energy or telecommunications provider, you should ensure that they are legitimate. Such staff will generally wear a company uniform and be able to produce company ID.

If in doubt, you should call the company to check before letting workers in.

Original Source : https://www.hoax-slayer.net/hoax-men-claiming-water-company-robbing-homes-gunpoint/