How Prepaid24 Made It Safe to Buy Electricity on WhatsApp

Building the security to buy in chat and the 5 top-tier safeguards to protect you and your money – this is how Prepaid24 made it safe to buy electricity on WhatsApp in South Africa.

Is it safe to buy electricity on WhatsApp?

Prepaid24 is the first SA provider to let you buy prepaid electricity on WhatsApp. But WhatsApp isn’t a banking app, so we had to go to great lengths to make sure it’s safe to actually buy your prepaid electricity, airtime and data, pay municipal accounts and get vouchers like Netflix (and so much more) on SA’s favourite chat app.

By using a verified and fully encrypted WhatsApp Business channel, here’s how we made it not only possible but genuinely safe to buy electricity on WhatsApp in South Africa.

The Truth About WhatsApp Payments

WhatsApp is definitely not a payments app, so you are right to query any kind of payments, winnings or even lottery messages you receive on it. So, when we at Prepaid24 designed SA’s first full-service method to buy electricity via WhatsApp, we made sure to build in major trust and safety mechanisms.

Prepaid24 built South Africa’s first fully verified WhatsApp Transact channel, where users can buy electricity, airtime and vouchers inside the same chat they use every day, without ever sharing card details or logging into a foreign website.

This wasn’t about creating another app; it was about bringing prepaid utilities to a space South Africans already trust. By building on WhatsApp’s own encrypted infrastructure and integrating secure payment gateways, Prepaid24 bridged the gap between everyday convenience and digital safety.

Here’s how it works…

How Prepaid24 Made It Safe to Buy Electricity on WhatsApp

1. Verified WhatsApp Business Channel

Every genuine business account on WhatsApp carries a green tick next to its name, and Prepaid24’s verified Transact number (060 012 2010) and Tokens number (060 018 8217) are both officially registered. That verification ensures you’re talking directly to Prepaid24, not a clone or scammer pretending to be us.

2. Encrypted End-to-End Messaging

When you transact on WhatsApp, all communication between you and Prepaid24 is protected by end-to-end encryption. That means no one (not even WhatsApp itself) can read your messages or intercept your electricity tokens.

3. Secure Payments via Trusted Fintech Partners

Prepaid24 doesn’t process payments inside the chat. Instead, every transaction routes through trusted South African payment providers like Ozow, PayFast, your bank or Prepaid24’s SmartFund wallet which are all secured outside of WhatsApp, each offering bank-level security and regulatory compliance. .

Because of this, your card or banking details never appear on WhatsApp.

4. OTPs and Payment Verification

Whether you top up your SmartFund or use Ozow to pay by bank, you’ll be asked to confirm your payment with a personal transaction pin or secure in-app verification step. This double-checks that it’s you authorising the payment, not someone else using your phone.

5. Instant Token Delivery in Chat

The convenient part is that once payment is complete, your electricity token is delivered immediately within the verified chat. There’s no waiting for emails or risking intercepted SMS messages; your token arrives where you paid, safely and instantly.

Beyond Safety: Why It’s Also the Easiest Way

Prepaid24’s WhatsApp Transact channel isn’t just secure; it’s designed for real South African life.

Whether you’re a parent recharging your kids’ cell numbers, a remote worker paying municipal bills or simply someone who hates standing in queues, the entire process takes less than a minute. You can buy electricity, airtime, data or entertainment vouchers in one place, with zero service fees when using the SmartFund wallet or EFT payments. Ozow and PayShap are also available as speedy payment options.

It also works for 95% of municipalities and Eskom meters, meaning nearly every prepaid household in South Africa can use it. The service operates nationwide, supported by a dedicated Support Team available seven days a week, from 7 am – 11 pm.

How to Make Sure You’re Using the Real Prepaid24

Here’s how to confirm you’re in safe hands:

Check that you’re chatting to one of Prepaid24’s verified numbers – 060 012 2010 (Transact) or 060 018 8217 (Tokens) – and that the account displays the official green tick. The chat will never ask for your card or bank details and all tokens will arrive from the official Tokens channel.

For extra peace of mind, you can cross-check these details on the official Prepaid24 WhatsApp page.

Need to recharge right now?

See how to recharge your electricity using WhatsApp right now.

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