You could've sworn you paid your gas bill, yet you just received a call from the utility company saying your heat will get turned off if you don't call them back. The chances are good that it's a scam. According to AARP, impostors are by far the most common type of fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). "Impersonators call homes and small businesses demanding payment for supposedly delinquent bills and threatening to terminate service. They time attacks for maximum urgency, stepping up activity during peak heating or air conditioning season, and targeting businesses at busy times (like the lunch or dinner rush at a restaurant)."
You might also get a call seeking payment upfront to replace or repair a meter or other device, or solicit personal information in the name of signing you up for a government program that reduces energy bills. More varieties of a utility con include saying you've overpaid and will ask for your bank account or credit card information to credit it back to you, or utility workers showing up at your home to inspect or repair equipment or to investigate a supposed gas leak or do a free "audit" for energy efficiency. Then they'll try to charge you for the phone service, sell you unnecessary products, collect personal information for use in ID theft, or simply gain entry to steal your valuables. They are also adept at sending out "phishing" emails or text messages to trick you into making a payment or supplying personal or financial data.
Older Americans and people who are not native English speakers are the main targets, but anyone who pays a utility bill can be a mark —and anyone can avoid being victimized by taking a few precautions. If you believe you are a targeted victim of one of these scams, call the utility at the customer service number listed on your bill (don't use any numbers told to you over the phone), to find out if you're behind on a payment or if they have tried to contact you. Understand that utilities DO NOT request personal information over the phone, and they do not cut off service without considerable advance warning. Ask questions of anyone calling you or coming to your door on supposed utility business — for example, their employee identification number, or the date and amount of your most recent payment. DO notify the utility if you've been approached by an impostor, and notify your neighbors as well, as the chances are good that scammers are making the rounds in your area.
You can also call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 and report it on their Scam-Tracking Map.
Source: AARP | TBWS
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