(WNY News Now) – Customers across upstate New York are being targeted by scammers impersonating National Grid, using threats of service disconnection to demand immediate payments through prepaid debit cards.
National Grid encourages its customers to be vigilant and protect their personal information in light of multiple active email and telephone scam campaigns occurring across upstate New York. Customers and law enforcement agencies have reported receiving contact from someone representing National Grid and threatening service disconnection if immediate payment is not made. Scammers are using different reasons for demanding money, including past-due balances on accounts that are current, but each scam follows a similar set of tactics:
• When the customer’s phone rings, the caller ID reads National Grid with the company’s customer service line, a practice called spoofing. The caller may identify themselves with a false identification number and office location.
• The customer is told their service will be disconnected unless immediate payment is made using a prepaid debit card, such as Green Dot or MoneyPak.
• The customer is directed to purchase a prepaid debit card from a retail outlet and immediately call a toll-free number to provide the card’s number. When called, the phone number provided by the scammer may have an automated menu that falsely identifies itself as National Grid.
• Customers may also be asked for other sensitive information, including their account and Social Security numbers.
While these scams are not new and the scenarios may vary, the goals remain the same: scare customers into making hasty decisions that include large financial payments and revealing sensitive personal information. Similar scams have been reported across the U.S. by other utilities. National Grid reminds customers that while it does contact customers with past-due balances by phone to offer payment options, it never demands direct payment through the use of prepaid debit cards and never accepts payment through these cards. National Grid also never demands payment with the threat of immediate disconnection.
Customers who believe they have fallen victim to the scam should contact their local law enforcement agency immediately. If you are provided a phone number that does not match numbers on the billing statements, it is likely that the call is a scam.
National Grid reminds customers to know the red flags and offers the following tips:
• Be vigilant. If you believe you are current on your National Grid account, it is highly likely a call seeking payment is a scam.
• Protect yourself. Verify you are speaking with a National Grid representative. Ask the caller to provide the last five digits of your National Grid account number. If the caller doesn’t know your account number and phishes for help, take charge and hang up immediately. National Grid representatives will know your account number.
• Do not take the bait. Scammers will not have access to your account information, social security number or other personal details and you should never offer that information if asked. National Grid representatives will know your account number; if the caller cannot validate your account number listed on your bill, it is likely a scam.
• Scammers also may contact you by email and attempt to lure customers into clicking on a link, visiting a malicious website, revealing account information, or calling a phone number. • While National Grid may ask for a payment to be made over the phone, the payment method will be left to the customer’s discretion.
• Do not fall for scare tactics and threats. National Grid will not contact customers demanding immediate payment by wire transfer, Green Dot, MoneyPak or any other prepaid card service.
• Do not cave to pressure. Never — under any circumstances — offer personal or financial information to someone who you cannot identify.
• Every National Grid employee carries a photo ID badge, and contractors working for the company are also required to carry ID. If someone requesting entry into your home or business does not show identification as a National Grid employee or contractor, don’t let that person in, and call National Grid or local law enforcement.
To learn more about protecting you and your loved ones from scams, please visit ngrid.com/scam.
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