A Central Hudson press release issued Monday reminds us that we are in the middle of Utility Scam Awareness Week. It always comes around the middle of November, at a time when the weather first starts turning colder and when we first start thinking about what it would be like to be without heat at the outset of winter.

Often it’s the senior citizens who live on fixed incomes and can least afford to be taken in by scams who are the most likely victims, but anyone who pays a utility bill is vulnerable.

With that in mind, here are some common scams:

Disconnection deception. Scammers call threatening to disconnect your service, unless you immediately buy a pre-paid card to make a “payment.” Fortunately, places that sell these types of cards are often savvy enough to spot a potential victim, especially if that person is elderly and about to hand over a large amount of cash.

Overpayment tactic. Scammers call, claiming you have overpaid your utility bill and need to provide your personal bank account information or a credit card number to facilitate the refund. Remember that your utility company likely already has your bank account information on file and wouldn’t need to call you for that information.

Vacate your home. Scammers claim there is a need to replace metering or other equipment and you must vacate your home for a period of time.
Power restoration charge. Scammers call offering to restore power more quickly for a fee in the aftermath of a severe storm causing a widespread power outage.

Identification attack. Rather than directing victims to call a 1-800 number, the scammer directs the caller to press 1 to collect more data in an effort to get personally identifiable information.

Door-knocking impostor. Impostors pose as utility workers to gain entry to the home of an unsuspecting person.

Facebook Charity Scam. Social media posts are telling customers that a charity will pay for their utility bills if the customer first makes a partial payment by money transfer. The new scam is still under investigation and it’s unclear if the scammers are seeking money, personally identifiable information, or both.

The best advice we can suggest to prevent a scam is to keep your utility bill handy. Call the customer service number associated with the bill if you have any questions, whether you’ve been contacted by a potential scammer, or if there’s someone at your door, claiming to be a utility employee. Call before you open the door.