If someone calls to say your new electricity meter is ready and asks you to pay into their mobile money number, hang up. The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has warned customers about scammers posing as its staff to sell fake meters and collect payments.
The warning was issued on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, and was reported by Ameyaw Debrah, the Daily Graphic, MyJoyOnline and other outlets.
According to the reports, ECG has identified two main schemes:
Both scams rely on creating a sense of urgency so that victims pay before they have time to check.
Dr Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, ECG's General Manager for External Communications, made the company's position clear. "ECG runs a fully cashless system. All payments must go through the ECG Power App or the shortcode *226#," he said, as quoted by the Daily Graphic and Ameyaw Debrah.
He added: "Our staff do not ask customers to pay into personal mobile money wallets. Treat any such call as a fraud attempt."
ECG says customers should only use official channels:
Getting a new meter can take time, and many customers are eager to have one installed quickly, especially those sharing meters or using older systems. Scammers exploit that frustration by offering shortcuts. Using social media and mobile money makes it easy for them to reach large numbers of people and receive payments instantly.
Unregistered meters can also cause problems later, including disconnection, penalties or difficulty buying credit, leaving victims worse off even if they receive a device.
Customers who need a new meter should apply in person at their ECG district office and follow the official process. Any payments should go only through ECG's official channels. If anyone offers to speed up the process for an extra fee, that is a warning sign.
ECG's warning comes as fraud linked to mobile money continues to affect many Ghanaians. Impersonation scams, where fraudsters pretend to be from a bank, telecom company or utility, are among the most common. This month is also Cybersecurity Awareness Month, during which Ghana's Cyber Security Authority is urging stronger collaboration against online fraud.
ECG has previously flagged mobile money fraud trends linked to meter installation payments in the Ashanti Region, MyJoyOnline has reported, suggesting the problem is not new.
Anyone who has paid a fraudster should report the matter to the police and to ECG as soon as possible, and contact their mobile money provider to report the transaction. Acting quickly can sometimes help with investigations.
Talk Talk will share any further guidance from ECG.
