Dominion Energy shares signs of utility scams

Dominion Energy is sharing common red flags to watch out for during Utility Scam Awareness Day.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)— Dominion Energy is sharing common red flags to watch out for during Utility Scam Awareness Day.

The company is telling customers not to provide payment, or account information to suspicious callers. To further protect themselves, customers can fact check the caller by asking them to verify their account balance, information that scammers usually don’t have access to, says the company.

In a release shared with ABC Columbia News, Dominion Energy’s General Manager of Customer Service Sam Dozier says, “People posing as Dominion Energy representatives are looking for ways to trick customers into giving them money or personal information. We work year-round to educate our customers on how they can protect themselves from scammers. We want our customers to know they can hang up and deny information to a would-be scammer.”

Some warning signs of a utility scam include:

• Dominion Energy does not call and threaten service disconnection if a customer does not make a payment immediately.
• Dominion Energy will never demand payment with a credit or debit card by phone, or ask a customer to wire a transfer, send a money order or buy a prepaid or gift card to pay a utility bill.
• Not all scammers are aggressive and threatening. Some scammers try to earn a customer’s trust by being personable and sympathetic.
• Utility scammers will often target small businesses, such as restaurants, and threaten service disconnection during peak business hours to instill fear and a sense of urgency.
• Customers should be suspicious of and not allow individuals claiming to be Dominion Energy employees to enter their homes without proper identification, an appointment or a reported emergency. Additionally, employees do not ask for payment in person. Customers should also be aware of solar panel installers posing as Dominion Energy representatives.

For more scam prevention tips, visit dominionenergy.com/our-stories/scammers-and-personal-safety.