Scammers are increasingly pretending to be representatives of electricity, water, gas, and other utility companies in an attempt to steal money from unsuspecting customers.
The scam often begins with an unexpected phone call, text message, email, or even an in-person visit. The person may claim that you have an outstanding bill and that your electricity, water, gas, or other utility service will be disconnected immediately unless you make a payment.
They may sound convincing and could even know some basic information about you or your account. Their real goal, however, is to create fear and urgency so that you make a payment before you have enough time to verify the claim.
How the scam works
A scammer may tell you that:
• Your utility bill is overdue • Your service will be disconnected today • You must make a payment immediately • You cannot speak with anyone else about the payment • You must use a specific payment method • You should click a link or call a particular phone number
They may then demand payment through methods that can be difficult to reverse, including cryptocurrency, gift cards, wire transfers, or certain payment apps.
This should be treated as a major warning sign.
Do not allow scammers to pressure you
If someone contacts you claiming to represent your utility company and threatens immediate disconnection unless you pay on the spot, stop and verify the information independently.
Do not click links contained in unexpected messages.
Do not call the phone number provided by the person who contacted you.
Do not provide your bank details, card information, PIN, passwords, or verification codes.
Instead, contact your utility provider directly using the official phone number on a previous bill or through the company's verified website.
You should also be careful when searching for the company online. Scammers sometimes create fake websites or advertisements designed to look like legitimate utility companies.
Be careful with unusual payment requests
A legitimate utility company should not pressure you into paying your bill exclusively through cryptocurrency, gift cards, wire transfers, or another unusual payment method.
If someone insists that you use a particular payment method while threatening immediate disconnection, consider it a serious warning sign and verify the claim directly with the utility company.
What if someone comes to your home?
Scammers may also impersonate utility workers and attempt to gain access to your property.
If someone arrives at your home claiming to be a utility employee and you are unsure whether they are legitimate, do not allow yourself to be pressured into letting them inside.
Contact the utility company directly through an official channel and verify the person's identity and reason for visiting.
Already paid a scammer?
If you have already sent money to someone you believe was impersonating your utility company, act quickly.
Contact your bank, card issuer, payment service, cryptocurrency platform, or other company you used to send the money. Explain that the payment was made as part of a scam and ask whether the transaction can be stopped or reversed.
You should also report the incident to the appropriate authorities and to the utility company that was impersonated.
The most important thing to remember
Urgency is one of a scammer's most effective weapons.
When someone tells you, "Pay immediately or your service will be disconnected," do not panic and do not rush into making a payment.
Take a moment to verify the claim independently.
Hang up the call, ignore the message, and contact your utility provider using an official channel.
A few minutes spent verifying a payment demand could save you from losing a significant amount of money.
Share this information with your friends and family so they can recognize the warning signs before becoming victims.
Source: Federal Trade Commission — Scammers Pretend To Be Your Utility Company.