Electricity frauds, or doorstep electricity meter credit scams, often involve being offered cut-price energy for those who use pre-payment meters.
Criminals use cloned keys to top up energy credit illegally. People are offered a cut price deal on their doorstep, for example £50 of electricity meter top-up for a cash payment of just £25. However, energy companies detect that they have not received payment for energy used, and the customer ends up paying for the energy twice – first to the fraudsters and then to their energy company.
The perpetrators of these electricity scams are believed to have links to serious and organised criminal activity, and electricity companies are urging their customers not to get involved.
More than 110,000 households have been affected by this crime already.
Customers of all the leading energy companies – including British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON, npower, Scottish Power and SSE – have been affected.
Are you a victim of an electricity scam?
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Someone has knocked on your door offering you cut-price electricity for cash, and you have paid them.
What should you do if you’re a victim of an electricity scam?
- Report it to Action Fraud.
- Call your electricity company to advise them about what’s happened.
- You can report the salesperson to Consumer Direct by calling 08454 04 05 06.
Protect yourself against electricity scams
- Never buy your electricity from someone who knocks at your door. Electricity companies do not sell electricity top-up door-to-door.
- Always buy your electricity from official outlets – PayPoint, Payzone and The Post Office.
If you have lost money to a fraud like this, report it to Action Fraud.
See also:
Doorstep fraud
Energy top-up scam
Electricity scam spreads nationwide