News
November 19, 2015National Grid Warns Upstate New York Customers Of Renewed Payment Scam
National Grid is once again warning customers to beware of a reported utility billing scam. As has been the case several times in the past few years, National Grid’s Customer Contact Center has received calls from residential and business customers saying they were contacted by phone by individuals who claim to be from National Grid and who advise the customers they have a past due balance on their utility bill. The scammers warn that service will be shut off immediately unless the customer purchases a prepaid debit card in a specific amount and provides the caller with the card’s account number. Similar scams have been reported across the U.S.
Scammers have become increasingly sophisticated in replicating National Grid’s recorded messaging and directions for phone prompts making it more difficult to differentiate an actual National Grid call from an imposter’s call.
National Grid does contact customers with past due balances by phone to offer payment options, but never demands direct payment through the use of a pre-paid debit card and never accepts payment through these cards. Customers who believe they have fallen victim to the scam should contact National Grid and local law enforcement officials immediately.
National Grid urges customers to be cautious of scammers and offers the following tips:
- National Grid representatives will know your account number; never offer that information to a caller
- 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 fishes for help, take charge and hang up immediately
- National Grid may ask for a payment over the phone, but will leave the method of payment to the customer
- National Grid will not contact customers demanding immediate payment by wire transfer, Green Dot Money-Pak or any other pre-paid card service
- Never — under any circumstances — offer personal or financial information to someone who you cannot identify
- Every National Grid employee carries a photo ID card, and any contractor doing work for the company is also required to carry ID. If someone requesting entry into your home or place of business does not show an ID card, don’t let that person in and please call National Grid or your local law enforcement.
