National Grid is joining the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS) this week in support of International Fraud Awareness Week and will recognize the eighth annual Utility Scam Awareness Day on Wednesday, November 15. Utility Scam Awareness Day is an advocacy and awareness campaign focused on educating customers about, and exposing, scammer tactics.
In recent years, utilities have seen increased reports of their customers being contacted by scammers who pose as utility workers in an attempt to access their financial information or to obtain immediate payment by threatening service interruptions. These are known as utility impostor scams. The theme of this year’s campaign is “Screen the Search,” which reflects the rise in utility impostor scams through digital methods, including search engine-related scams.
UUAS, a consortium of more than 150 U.S. and Canadian electric, water, and natural gas utilities and their respective trade associations, continues to raise customer awareness of common scams and new scam tactics used by utility impostors. Through its work and with the help of customer reporting, UUAS has successfully helped to take more than 14,020 toll-free numbers used by scammers against utility customers out of operation.
“During International Fraud Awareness Week and on Utility Scam Awareness Day, National Grid want to remind customers to stay aware and vigilant against potential utility scams,” said Helen Burt, National Grid, Chief Customer Officer. “When contacted by a person claiming to represent National Grid, we encourage customers to always verify their identity to protect themselves against scams.”
“Utility impostor scammers continue to grow more sophisticated in their tactics. Increasingly, we are seeing scammers use digital methods that target both younger and older generations. We encourage customers to stop and verify any unusual utility company requests before making a payment, regardless of whether the customer is contacted via phone, internet, or in person.”
UUAS Executive Director Monica Martinez
Digital scam tactics that customers should be aware of include:
- Sponsored ads on search engines that lead to an identical—but fake—utility bill payment page
- QR codes that scammers falsely claim link to a utility payment page
- Texts from a scammer claiming to be a utility representative, with a link to an impostor payment page
“Together, utilities are working to combat scammers by spreading awareness and partnering with telecom providers to remove access to phone lines for reported scammers. As always, we encourage policymakers to adopt stronger public protections and encourage private citizens and small businesses to stay vigilant against scams,” said UUAS Chair and Kissimmee Utility Authority Manager of Customer Service Bud Ajdukovic.
As a reminder, National Grid will never ask for payments using a pre-paid debit card, gift card, cryptocurrencies, or third-party digital payment mobile applications, and they will provide multiple notices before any service interruptions are implemented.
Customers who suspect that they have been victims of fraud or who feel threatened during contact with a scammer should contact National Grid, their local law enforcement authorities, and the Attorney General’s office immediately.
- Massachusetts Electric: 1-800-322-3223
- Massachusetts Gas: 1-800-233-5325
- New York, Metro: 1-718-643-4050
- Long Island: 1-800-930-5003
- New York, Upstate: 1-800-642-4272
The Federal Trade Commission also provides additional information about protecting personal information and other information regarding impostor scams.
Visit ngrid.com/scam or www.utilitiesunited.org for information and tips on how customers can protect themselves from impostor utility scams.
About National Grid
National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York and Massachusetts. National Grid is focused on building a smarter, stronger, cleaner energy future — transforming our networks with more reliable and resilient energy solutions to meet state climate goals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
For more information, please visit our website, follow us on Twitter, watch us on YouTube, like us on Facebook and find us on Instagram.
The above press release was submitted to us by National Grid.
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