How to Avoid Electricity Scams: Door-to-Door Fraud Guide

Here's the thing about electricity scams: they're not just annoying, they're expensive. The Better Business Bureau tracked median losses of $435 per victim^[3] in 2024, and we're talking hundreds of millions of dollars stolen from consumers every year. Not a typo.

Scammers reach you in all the usual ways. Someone shows up at your door wearing an official-looking uniform. Your phone rings with a caller ID that looks like your utility company. You get an email or text that seems legit but isn't. In deregulated states like Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, the competitive electricity market makes things easier for dishonest actors because there are so many legitimate suppliers that one more doesn't raise immediate red flags.

The scams break down into a few main categories. There's slamming, where they switch your supplier without permission. There's impersonation, where someone pretends to be from your utility. And there's the threatening call scam, where they demand immediate payment to avoid disconnection. Sound familiar? You're not alone.

Understanding how these scams work is your best defense. Once you know what to look for, they're a lot easier to spot.

Door-to-door energy scams are some of the most aggressive tactics you'll see. Scammers dress professionally, sometimes in utility-style clothing complete with an ID badge and clipboard. They look the part.

They'll have all kinds of excuses for why they need to see your electric bill. "We're verifying your account." "There's a special rate available but I need to see your current bill to calculate savings." "We're checking for billing errors." It all sounds reasonable until you realize what they're really after: your utility account number. With that, they can switch your service without your permission.

Here's what to watch for. They won't show proper identification when you ask. They pressure you to decide immediately, like right now, this minute. They insist on seeing your bill. And they make promises that sound way too good to be true because they usually are.

Remember this: legitimate suppliers never require same-day decisions. Ever. They'll always give you written materials to review at your own pace.

Phone scammers impersonate utility companies and threaten to shut off your power unless you pay right away. The urgency is the whole game.

Here's how they operate. They create this artificial crisis: "Your power will be shut off within one hour if you don't pay now." They spoof caller ID so it shows your utility's name or phone number on your screen. Then they demand payment immediately over the phone, usually before you have time to think or verify anything.

Here's what real utilities do. They never demand immediate payment over the phone. They always send written notices before disconnection, usually multiple notices over weeks. And they never threaten same-day shutoffs for first-time payment issues. That's just not how it works.

If you get one of these calls, hang up immediately. Don't engage. Then call your utility directly using the number on your bill, not any number the caller gave you. Check your account status through official channels. The whole thing is designed to panic you into making a quick decision.

Never give payment information to unsolicited callers, no matter how legitimate they sound. If it's real, they'll send you something in writing.

Slamming is when a supplier switches your electricity service without your permission. It's illegal, but it still happens.

How does it happen? Dishonest salespeople forge signatures on enrollment forms. They misrepresent what you're signing, telling you it's one thing when it's an enrollment contract. Or they use account information they gathered through deceptive means, like when you showed them your bill thinking they were just checking rates.

Here's how you know you've been slammed. An unfamiliar company suddenly appears on your electricity bill. You get a confirmation letter from a supplier you never contacted or signed up with. Your rate changes without any explanation or warning. Sound familiar?

If you've been slammed, contact your utility immediately to report the unauthorized switch. File complaints with PUCO in Ohio, PA PUC in Pennsylvania, or MA DPU in Massachusetts. Document everything: save bills, emails, and any correspondence. The paper trail matters.

State regulators have real power here. They can order the slamming company to return you to your previous supplier and credit any overcharges. They've done it before, they'll do it again.

The payment method tells you everything. Scammers demand unusual payment methods that are difficult to trace or reverse. That's the whole point.

Gift cards are the biggest red flag. Green Dot, iTunes, Google Play, whatever. Wire transfers through Western Union or MoneyGram. Cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. Cash payments to individuals instead of official offices. Any of these should make alarm bells go off.

Here's the simple truth: no legitimate utility or electricity supplier ever accepts gift cards as payment for electric bills. Not ever. Not under any circumstances. If someone asks you to pay your electric bill with gift cards, it's a scam. Full stop.

Scammers love these payment methods because once the money's sent, it's nearly impossible to get back. That's the design. Cash gets handed over, gift card codes get read, wire transfers complete, and the money vanishes.

Legitimate utilities accept normal payment methods. Credit cards through their official website or phone line. Debit cards the same way. Checks mailed to their official address. Bank transfers through their actual website. Boring, traceable, reversible payment methods.

If anyone demands payment through gift cards or wire transfers, it's a scam. Doesn't matter how convincing they sound or what threats they make. Hang up.

Some scammers show up at your door posing as utility workers who need access to your home. They've got excuses: need to read the meter, inspect equipment, make emergency repairs. They wear official-looking uniforms, carry clipboards, and sound like they know what they're talking about.

Once they're inside, different things can happen. Some steal valuables while you're distracted. Others gather personal information from bills and documents left around. Some create fake emergencies and then offer to fix them for a fee. All of it's a con.

Real utility workers have company-issued photo identification. Always. They schedule appointments in advance for any interior work. And here's the key: they'll wait while you verify their identity. They expect it. They're used to it.

You have every right to call your utility directly to verify any worker's identity before you let them in. Use the number on your bill, not a number they give you. A real utility worker won't have a problem with this. A scammer will.

Never let someone inside based only on their uniform or what they tell you. Uniforms are easy to fake. Trust is harder to earn.

Phishing scams come through email or text messages that look like they're from your utility or electricity supplier. They're getting pretty sophisticated.

The messages all create urgency. "There's a problem with your account." "You have an overdue payment." "A special refund is available, but you need to claim it now." They want you to click before you think.

Those links go to fake websites designed to look like your utility's real site. Once you're there, they try to steal your login credentials, personal information, or payment details. Sometimes all three.

Here's what real utilities don't do. They don't send emails demanding immediate action. They don't text threats of disconnection. And they don't ask you to click links to avoid shutoff. That's just not how they operate.

If you get a suspicious message, don't click any links in it. Go directly to your utility's official website or app by typing the address yourself. Log in there and check your account status. If there's really a problem, it'll show up. Then report the phishing attempt to your utility so they know it's going around.

When in doubt, delete the message and contact your utility through their official channels. Better safe than sorry.

Let's talk about the universal warning signs that show up across all these scams. If you spot any of these, your guard should go up immediately.

Be suspicious if someone demands immediate payment or decisions. Real business doesn't work that way. Be suspicious if they threaten disconnection without you ever receiving written notice. Utilities send letters, plural, before they shut anyone off. Gift cards or wire transfers? Automatic red flag. Asking to see your utility bill? They're after your account number. Refusing to provide written materials or pressuring you to sign without reading? They don't want you to have time to think.

If they claim to be from your utility but can't show proper ID, that's a problem. If they're offering rates dramatically lower than market prices, something's wrong. And if they contact you unsolicited with some "urgent" time-limited offer, they're manufacturing pressure to make you act fast.

When you're in doubt about anything, end the conversation immediately. Then contact your utility directly using the number on your bill. Take your time to verify things. Never rush these decisions.

Honestly, taking 10 minutes to verify something can save you hundreds of dollars and weeks of hassle fixing an unauthorized account switch.

Before you sign up with any electricity supplier, verify they're legitimate through official channels. It takes five minutes and can save you major headaches.

Each state has official resources. In Ohio, check PUCO's certified CRES suppliers at energychoice.ohio.gov. Pennsylvania uses papowerswitch.com to verify EGS licenses. Massachusetts residents can confirm licensing through the DPU website. These are the official state lists.

ElectricRates.org only shows plans from state-licensed suppliers in Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. That eliminates the risk of accidentally signing up with a fraudulent provider because they've already been filtered out.

When you're dealing with a supplier directly, ask for their license number. Then verify it matches state records. Check online reviews while you're at it. Look at Better Business Bureau ratings. See what other customers are saying.

Here's a red flag: companies that avoid verification questions or pressure you to skip this step. Legitimate suppliers welcome verification. They expect it. They'll give you their license number immediately because they're proud of it.

If a company acts weird about verification, that tells you everything you need to know.

If you run into an electricity scam, report it. You're not just protecting yourself, you're helping other consumers avoid the same trap.

Here's where to report by state. In Ohio, call PUCO at 1-800-686-7826. Pennsylvania residents should contact PA PUC at 1-800-692-7380. Massachusetts has MA DPU at 1-877-886-5066. These are the state regulators with actual enforcement power.

You've got additional reporting options too. Tell your utility company about impersonators or suspicious activity. File a report with the Federal Trade Commission^[1] at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Contact your state Attorney General's consumer protection division. Submit a report to the Better Business Bureau at bbb.org/scamtracker.

Why bother reporting? Because the more reports authorities receive, the faster they can investigate and shut down scammers. Your report might be the one that tips the scale and gets a scam operation shut down before they hit dozens more victims.

Plus, if you've been slammed or charged illegally, reporting through official channels is how you get your money back and get switched back to your previous supplier. The state regulators have real power to make companies fix what they broke.