The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) and UGI Utilities are warning customers of a scam in which someone calls to tell them their utility is reporting a request to switch to a different energy supplier. The PUC says it received more than 70 complaints yesterday alone of people receiving the scam call.
The calls are made to appear like they are coming from the PUC. The scammers are using a technique called spoofing to make the PUC’s number show up on caller ID. In this scam, the caller says the only way to cancel the switch and remain with the utility is to pay a cancellation fee immediately or face termination of service. The PUC does not make direct calls to consumers to demand payment, confirm supplier switches, or threaten termination.
The PUC has reported this incident to law enforcement and is reaching out to utilities across the state to alert them about these calls.
The PUC offers these scam prevention tips:
- Do not provide personal or financial information to unsolicited callers. Hang up immediately.
- Contact your utility or supplier directly using the phone number on your bill if you have questions about your account or a potential switch.
- Be aware that utilities may contact customers by phone if a bill is seriously overdue, but these calls are usually part of a series of written and electronic notices about a delinquent account or possible termination. If you're unsure whether a call is legitimate, always contact your utility’s official customer service hotline.
- Report suspicious calls to your utility and the PUC’s Bureau of Consumer Services at 1-800-692-7380 or online at www.puc.pa.gov.
UGI Utilities, Inc. is a natural gas and electric utility company that serves more than 760,000 customers. Additional information about UGI Utilities, Inc. is available at www.ugi.com.
