Trystan Casey
Unwanted calls from energy companies or scammers pretending to be energy companies are a common nuisance. These calls often involve pushy and deceptive sales tactics, aggressive threats, or demands for sensitive information and unconventional payment methods. To stop these calls, you can register with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), which requires companies to refrain from calling registered numbers. Additionally, call blocking is an effective way to prevent unwanted calls, and you should never give out personal or account information to unsolicited callers. It is also important to report scams to the relevant authorities to help protect others from falling victim.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of scam | Criminals pretend to be from the utility company and demand immediate payment for electricity bills |
| How they operate | Criminals use aggressive and intimidating tactics, threaten to shut off electricity, and request payment through unconventional means |
| How to avoid |
|
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What You'll Learn
- Recognise scams: Be aware of common tricks, like aggressive demands for immediate payment
- Protect personal information: Never disclose account details or send bills to unknown callers
- Verify the caller: Legitimate company representatives will allow you to confirm your account status
- Block calls: Use call-blocking technology to prevent unwanted calls and report scams to the police
- Register with TPS: Register your number with the Telephone Preference Service to reduce unsolicited calls
Recognise scams: Be aware of common tricks, like aggressive demands for immediate payment
Criminals often take advantage of people's high energy usage and expenses during the summer. They run utility scams to prey on customers looking for ways to save on their energy bills and to exploit those who are unsure of the details of their energy contracts. One common scam involves receiving a phone call from a scammer claiming to be a representative of your local utility company or energy provider. They will insist that you are behind on your electricity bill payments and will aggressively demand immediate payment, threatening to shut off your electricity or natural gas immediately if you don't comply. They may even spoof the phone number on your caller ID to make it look like the call is coming from your energy provider.
- If you receive a suspicious call demanding immediate payment or sensitive information, or requesting non-traditional payment methods, hang up and report the incident to the police and your energy provider's customer service team.
- Before believing anything said during an unsolicited call, always confirm your account status by logging into your energy provider's web portal, opening their app, or calling their official customer service line. A legitimate company representative will allow you to verify your account details.
- Protect your personal and billing information. Shred or burn documents containing such information instead of throwing them away. Consider going paperless. If you use a shared or public computer for billing, always log out of your email and bank account and never save any passwords in the web browser.
- Be cautious of unsolicited door-to-door promotional pricing or product offers. If your home needs repairs, contact multiple home repair companies in your area and check their references.
- Be wary of any unsolicited calls or messages that create a sense of urgency or use aggressive and intimidating tactics to pressure you into making immediate payments. Take your time to verify the details and confirm the identity of the person or company before taking any action.
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Protect personal information: Never disclose account details or send bills to unknown callers
It's important to protect your personal information from unknown callers. Criminals can use unknown numbers to carry out scams and try to access your personal data. If you receive a suspicious call demanding sensitive information or asking for non-traditional payment methods, hang up and call the police.
- Never disclose account details or send bills to unknown callers. If someone calls claiming to be from your utility company and demanding immediate payment, it is likely a scam. Utility companies have stated that they do not call customers to threaten immediate disconnection. They will send multiple letters first and generally do not take payment over the phone, especially not in the form of untraceable gift cards.
- Be cautious about sharing personally identifiable information (PII) with strangers. If you answer a spam call or call a scammer back and provide any information, you could be at risk of identity theft and financial fraud.
- If you receive a call from an unknown number, do not answer it. Let it go to voicemail. This will reduce calls from spam, telemarketing, and unfamiliar numbers.
- If you do answer a call from an unknown number, keep your personal information to yourself to prevent identity theft. Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with a simple "yes". Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, passwords, or other identifying information.
- If you are unsure whether you spoke with a scammer, contact your energy provider's customer service team. Confirm the status of your account before believing anything someone says during an unsolicited call. A legitimate company representative will be happy to let you confirm your account details.
- Use call-blocking technology to block unknown callers. You can enable options to silence unknown callers on both Android and iOS devices. Additionally, third-party unknown caller blocker apps like TrueCaller and Hiya can automatically identify and block suspicious calls.
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Verify the caller: Legitimate company representatives will allow you to confirm your account status
If you're receiving unwanted calls about your electricity bills, it's important to know how to distinguish legitimate company representatives from scammers. Here are some ways to verify the caller and confirm your account status:
Firstly, it's crucial to be aware of common scams. Criminals often take advantage of people by posing as representatives of utility companies and demanding immediate payment. They may use aggressive tactics and threaten to disconnect your service if you don't pay up. Legitimate companies will not threaten immediate disconnection and will send multiple letters before taking any action. They also typically do not accept payments over the phone, especially not through unconventional methods like gift cards. Knowing these tactics can help you identify potential scams.
When you receive a call about your electricity bill, it's essential to confirm your account status independently. Legitimate company representatives will allow you to verify your account details and will not pressure you into providing sensitive information on the spot. Hang up and contact your energy provider's official customer service line to inquire about your account status directly. You can usually find this number on their website or through a quick online search. Ask about any outstanding payments, due dates, and your overall account standing. If there are no issues with your account, it's likely that the call you received was a scam attempt.
Additionally, you can verify the caller's legitimacy by asking for their contact information, including their name, email address, and phone number. A legitimate representative should be able to provide these details without hesitation. You can then use this information to cross-reference with the company's official website and other sources. Look for a business address, phone number, and email address on their website, and verify them using Google Maps and other tools. A legitimate company should have a physical address that corresponds to their location on Google Maps.
If you're still unsure, you can take additional steps such as requesting industry references or conducting a company credit check. A legitimate business should be able to provide references from local companies they've worked with. You can also check for customer reviews and testimonials, although be cautious as fake reviews are becoming more prevalent. Running a company credit check can provide insights into the financial stability of the company and its likelihood of becoming insolvent.
Remember, your best defence against scams is to remain vigilant and informed. Always confirm your account status through official channels, and don't be afraid to hang up and report suspicious calls to the authorities. By following these steps, you can better protect yourself from electricity-saving call scams and ensure your personal and financial information remains secure.
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Block calls: Use call-blocking technology to prevent unwanted calls and report scams to the police
Criminals often take advantage of people's increased energy usage during the summer by running utility scams. These scams typically involve a phone call from a fake representative of your utility company, demanding immediate payment for an overdue electricity bill. They may threaten to disconnect your energy service if you don't pay up within a short timeframe, such as within the hour or the same day.
To protect yourself from such scams, it is important to be aware of their existence and to know your account status before believing any unsolicited claims about overdue payments. If you receive a suspicious call demanding sensitive information or requesting unconventional payment methods, hang up and report the scam to the police to help protect others from falling victim.
Additionally, you can utilise call-blocking technology to prevent unwanted calls. This technology uses call data, consumer complaints, and reports from users and authorities to predict and block potential scam or fraudulent calls. Many phone companies offer call-blocking services, and you can also adjust your phone settings or download third-party apps to block unwanted calls. These apps often provide features such as caller ID and blocking options, helping you identify and stop potential scam calls.
- Verizon: Call Filter for screening and blocking unwanted calls
- AT&T: Digital Phone Call Protect service and ActiveArmor mobile security app
- CenturyLink: Customer tools for blocking unwanted calls
- Comcast: Call blocking options for XfinityVoice subscribers
- Google Project Fi: Call blocking options for wireless service
- T-Mobile: ScamShield app to block scam and robocalls
- U.S. Cellular: CallGuardian for advanced filtering and blocking protection
By utilising these call-blocking technologies and staying vigilant, you can effectively prevent unwanted calls and protect yourself from electricity-saving scams.
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Register with TPS: Register your number with the Telephone Preference Service to reduce unsolicited calls
Registering with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is a great way to reduce unsolicited sales and marketing calls. TPS is a free service run by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) that prevents your phone number from being shared with organisations that may call you for sales or marketing purposes. This includes charity and voluntary organisations, as well as those from the UK or overseas. Charities registered in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland should not call you for fundraising if you've registered with TPS.
You can register with TPS by visiting their website at www.tpsonline.org.uk or by calling 0345 070 0707. The registration process is quick and easy, and you can fill out an online form or register over the phone. It takes about a month for the service to start working after you've registered.
It's important to note that registering with TPS will not stop automated marketing calls or calls from scammers. If you're still receiving nuisance calls after registering, it might be because you gave the caller your number directly. In this case, you can tell the caller that you don't want to be contacted again, and they should stop calling you. If you continue to receive unsolicited calls from companies that don't follow regulations, you can report them to the TPS.
Additionally, registering with TPS will not stop you from receiving nuisance text messages. To stop texts to your landline, you can call 0800 587 5252 from the landline number that is receiving the texts.
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Frequently asked questions
There are two common types of utility scams: the phone call from a fake representative of your utility company and the door-to-door promotional pricing scam. Criminals will often use aggressive and intimidating tactics, demanding immediate payment and threatening to disconnect your energy supply. They may also request payment by unconventional means. Legitimate companies will not call customers to threaten immediate disconnection. If you are unsure, hang up and call the customer service line featured on your energy provider's website.
Protect your personal information and always confirm the status of your account before believing anything said during an unsolicited call. Never disclose account information or send bills to telemarketers. If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and report it to the police and your utility company.
You can register with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) to reduce the number of unsolicited sales and marketing calls you receive. It takes 28 days for your registration to become fully active. You can also block the numbers that are calling you.
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