Vumatel has been made aware of criminals using the company name to defraud customers. Please read the information below carefully. This information has also been sent to your customers.

Customers have reported that they have been defrauded by companies called Wireless Nerds, Your Wi-Fi Specialists and Wi-Fi and Networking Specialists. These companies all appear to be operated by the same person named Sipho Mahlangu, otherwise known as Lucky Mahlangu. This person is targeting Vumatel areas and posing as a Vumatel employee.

When engaging with customers, he claims to be a technician and charges a call-out fee upfront. Sometimes he advises customers that they require more equipment to improve their internet experience, like new Wi-Fi routers and Wireless Extenders. He charges customers for this equipment and then disappears. In other instances, he has installed “equipment” into customers’ homes but disappears as soon as they realise that the equipment does not work.

Tips to avoid being scammed

• If your customers are having any internet-related issues, please ask them to contact you directly. If you are unable to resolve the issue, please log a ticket with Vumatel. The customer will receive a ticket number via SMS. Unless you or the customer have logged a ticket and have a Vumatel ticket number, the customer is not to engage with anyone claiming to be from Vumatel or from your ISP.
• If you or the customer would like more information about solving fibre-related issues, please check out our newly updated and revamped Help Centre here: https://help.vumatel.co.za/
• Vumatel only installs the fibre line and fibre converter (CPE or ONT) which gets mounted to the customer’s wall, in their home. Vumatel does not offer any other services. We do not sell, install, or support Wi-Fi routers, Extenders, or any other internet-related equipment. Vumatel does not offer any IT-related services and cannot assist you with setting up internal networks and cabling within a customer’s home. If someone claims to be from Vumatel or claims to be an accredited Vumatel partner and is offering a customer any of these additional products and services, the customer should be suspicious.
• Please advise customers to be in contact with you for advice and assistance on speed or connectivity issues within their home.
• Vumatel has a list of accredited installations and maintenance partners. Customers should familiarise themselves with this list and should not engage with any other parties for Vumatel-related services.
• Vumatel does not charge any fees to the customer for maintenance and support.
• The only support related fee that Vumatel charges the customer, is for a re-installation. (For example, if a dog has chewed a customer’s fibre). However, the customer will be invoiced for the re-install by one of our accredited contractors.
• Please ask your customers to contact you for Internet-related services, for example, installation of a Wi-Fi Extender or to set up a network within their home, should you provide these services. Alternatively, they may contact a reputable IT company for assistance.

Contact Us

Some of our customers, who have already fallen victim to this scam have registered cases with the police and we are working closely with them to see that justice prevails. If you or one of your customers have had a similar experience or have any information pertaining to these crimes, please contact us via [email protected].