It’s summer and that means you don’t want to loose your air conditioning! Utilities scams – like most scams – are hinged on cultivating a sense of urgency and immediate response without time to think things through.
Con artists have been pulling off utilities scams for as long as our homes have been connected to power grids and water mains. These cons rely on two factors: 1) evoking a panic response in the target and causing them to act without considering whether or not the situation actually makes sense, and 2) the target not knowing the policies and practices of actual utilities companies.
Utilities companies DO give you several written notices before shutting off your electricity, water, or gas.
One common utilities scam that targets fall for time and again is receiving notice that you have missed payments and your electricity, water, or gas will be shut off in a matter of hours. This is designed to evoke a panic response and entice you to pay via credit card or wire transfer immediately while in the panicked state. If you receive a notice like this, it is 100% a scam. Utilities companies always give plenty of notice about late payments and shut-off dates.
Utilities companies DO NOT show up on your doorstep unannounced.
If someone claiming to be from a utilities company shows up at your house without your notice requesting access to your home or your yard, just say no. These are tactics crooks use to gain access to your home to case it for ways in and for assets to steal in the event that they decide to burglarize your house. Con artists will also show up at your doorstep claiming to be from utilities companies and insisting that you need to purchase expensive equipment for the services you are already receiving. While some of these products are legit, the dishonest sales pitch is a big red flag that this equipment is overpriced and likely of poor quality.
In a new scam, con artists target neighborhoods with power outages, offering to turn your power back on early for a fee. Utilities companies do not do this. It’s a scam.
Utilities companies DO NOT offer lump sum payment options.
If you receive a call or notice offering you the opportunity to pay a lump sum on a utilities service up front, this is 100% likely to be a scam. A related con offers a grant towards utilities payment for a one-time fee to gain access to this grant. This is also a scam.
If you are dealing with a situation that may be a utilities scam, it’s always best to call your company and find out directly from them whether or not it’s legit. If you’re still unsure, or if you think you’ve fallen prey to a utilities scam, a private investigator can help you get to the bottom of the matter and even seek justice and compensation for your losses. Contact Mignolet@bellsouth.net for a consultation.