National Utility Scam Awareness Day is Nov.20
CAYCE, S.C. (Nov. 20, 2024) – Dominion Energy is reminding customers to stay alert and protect themselves from utility scams this holiday season.
"Scammers will never take the day off, especially during the holidays. In fact, we see an increase in scam activity this time of year," said Sam Dozier, general manager of customer service at Dominion Energy South Carolina. "Scammers are counting on customers to be vulnerable or distracted during the busy rush of the holiday season, and they will do whatever they can to take advantage."
Customers should always be suspicious of individuals claiming to be Dominion Energy employees, whether in person or virtually. Utility scammers are known to falsify their caller ID and create fake websites to make it appear as Dominion Energy. When in doubt, hang up or leave the website.
Know the warning signs of a utility scam:
- 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.
- Dominion Energy does not call and threaten service disconnection if a customer does not make a payment immediately.
- Utility scammers often target small businesses and threaten service disconnection during peak business hours to instill fear and a sense of urgency.
- Customers should not allow individuals claiming to be Dominion Energy employees to enter their homes without proper identification, an appointment or a reported emergency.
Know what to do if receiving a suspicious call:
- Hang up. Do not provide account, payment or any other personal information.
- Ignore. Do not respond to suspicious emails or text messages. Do not click on links or attachments prompting energy bill payment.
- Verify. Scammers do not typically know the customer's account balance. Customers can verify their account balance and payment due date online or on the Dominion Energy app.
Customers can download the Dominion Energy app for the most secure method to check balance information, make bill payments, verify past payments, start or stop service and even request a payment arrangement if needed.
For more scam prevention tips, visit dominionenergy.com/scams.
About Dominion Energy
Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va., provides regulated electricity service to 3.6 million homes and businesses in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and regulated natural gas service to 500,000 customers in South Carolina. The company is one of the nation's leading developers and operators of regulated offshore wind and solar power and the largest producer of carbon-free electricity in New England. The company's mission is to provide the reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy that powers its customers every day. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.
