AVANGRID is urging customers of its electric and natural gas companies about ongoing utility scams.
The company said it has received new reports of utility scams across its subsidiaries including Connecticut Natural Gas, Southern Connecticut Gas and United Illuminating Company.
According to AVANGRID, there are reports of customers getting calls from people who claim to be employees or consultants of its subsidiaries.
Customers should be aware of fraudulent phone numbers, fraudulent emails and texts and door-to-door imposters. AVANGRID reminds customers to never give out personal or account information to unsolicited callers.
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“We’ve noticed a recent uptick in the number of utility scams attempting to defraud our customers. I urge anyone who has a question about the authenticity of a caller or any other communication claiming to be from our company to immediately contact us," AVANGRID CEO Pedro Azagra said in part in a statement.
AVANGRID said customers should be aware of the following types of scams:
- Disconnection threat
- Someone posing as a utility representative aggressively tells the customer their account is past due and a crew is on the way to shut off service unless an immediate payment is made.
- Often times the payment will be a prepaid debit card or another non-refundable form of payment.
- Meter payment
- The caller or in-person scammer instructs the customer to pay with cash or a prepaid debit card for the costs of a new meter or meter upgrade.
- Information request
- The caller says a recent payment encountered a system glitch and was not completed or that the company has not received the payment at all. Then the customer is asked to make a fake payment using a prepaid debit card or by providing personal account information.
Safety tips
- The company says it will never demand customers to purchase debit cards to make payments.
- Any customer can ask the caller for the last five digits of the account.
- If they do not have the information, the customer should hang up and call the police.
- AVANGRID employees and contractors carry a company-issued photo ID with an employee number. Ask for ID before providing personal or account information or before granting access to property.
- If the customer is uncertain, the company says to call to confirm the ID number by using the phone number on the bill or the company's website.
- Be suspicious of unexpected emails from AVANGRID companies. Think twice before clicking links.
- Credit card payments can be made and balances can be found directly on the company's website.
Customers who suspect they may have been a victim of fraud or customers who feel threatened during an incident with a scammer should contact their utility company, local law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission.
