How to spot electricity bill scams

Fact Checked

Scammers are becoming more creative, sending energy consumers fake electric bills to try and gain personal information. And while anti-scam technology is improving, the best way to protect yourself against an attack is by learning how to spot scams.

While you may feel reasonably confident in your ability to spot and reject a scam, it can be difficult to think calmly and critically when someone who is demanding your money or information and threatening to cut off your electricity.

Canstar Blue has created this guide on how to spot electric bill scams so that next time you are targeted, you know what to do.

How to spot an electricity bill scam

First and foremost, don’t be pressured into giving out any information until you have confirmation of who is requesting it.

When it comes to electricity providers, it’s best to ask them to confirm your account number. If you have any doubt, hang up and call your provider directly. If you are dealing with an email or text message, don’t click on any links. First check the contact information that was used to send the email or text you against your energy provider’s official email address. This information will be on their website, and again, call your energy provider to confirm what information you believe they have requested.

Don’t believe the myths you’ve been told about scammers, they don’t always want your bank account details. Scammers target everyone, not just the vulnerable. Scammers can have caller ID and can often seem legitimate by not making mistakes and being subtle.

What is an electricity bill scam?

An electricity bill scam is where someone, claiming to be a representative of a reputable energy provider, insists that you have to make a payment for an outstanding electricity or gas bill. This can be in the form of a phone call, email or even door-to-door scammers. Sometimes, they claim that they are a third-party and offer to pay your electricity bill at a reduced rate.

However, no scam is going to be perfect and there are always things that, if you look closely enough, will give it away.

Things to watch out for

Scammers are evolving their methods, some even able to replicate the caller ID on your phone to make it look like the call is actually coming from your energy provider.

Here are three warnings that the person that you’re speaking to is not from the real company:

1. They are threatening to turn off your electricity immediately, or within the hour, if payment is not made
2. The details of your agreement with the energy provider is vague and they can’t give you any specific information
3. The requested payment method is unusual – for example through a money transfer or prepaid debit card

How to prevent an electric bill scam

It can be difficult to discover if something is a scam, but there are ways to prepare yourself to detect them.

Keep on top of your bills

The one thing scammers are looking to capitalise on is uncertainty. How do you eliminate any uncertainty you may have in regard to your energy bills?

Pay any energy bills you receive as soon as you can, if you can’t do that then note what the balance of the bill is. This can help protect against scammers demanding random amounts, because you’ll know better.

Don’t give them any information or money

Scammers are difficult to identify early on. Until you’re absolutely sure of the validity of the caller or emailers identity (or the lack thereof), don’t give them any personal information (i.e. names, addresses, phone numbers or your account number).

While you may not end up falling victim to the scam, in some situations giving away certain pieces of personal information can be just as damaging.

Contact your energy provider

The most efficient way to check the validity of any correspondence, give your provider a call. They’ll be able to clear up any confusion about the communication and confirm whether it’s from them or not.

It’s also important to report these matters to your provider so they can make other customers aware.

Trust your own information

There’s going to be some aspect to the scam that makes it seem questionable, if only slightly. Maybe you’re being asked to pay an energy bill that you know for sure has already been paid. Maybe the communication isn’t even from the energy company that you use.

It can be easy to panic in the face of an electric bill scam, but if you trust yourself and consider what you know, you should be able to spotting a scam and protect yourself.

Common myths about scams you should be aware of

Being on the do-not-call list will protect you from scams

Scammers are criminals. They’re under no obligation to abide by the do-not-call list, and will call any numbers they can get a hold of.

Scams are always about money

Personal details can be just as valuable as money, and scammers are well aware of that. Be careful not to give away any personal details.

A legitimate-looking website means a legitimate business

Scammers can set up incredibly well-designed and elaborate websites in order to increase the chances of you thinking they’re running a legitimate business. However, a good website doesn’t mean you’re dealing with a real business. Running a quick Google search on the company in question will generally reveal a relatively non-existent web presence except for their ‘site’ which should be an immediate red flag.

Compare cheap electricity plans

If you would like to compare your current electricity plan to some of the cheapest plans in your state, check out the plans below:

Original reporting by Dean Heckscher
Image Source: Lemoncoup14/Shutterstock.com