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

"Ma'am, if you don't pay right now, we're cutting your power in one hour."

Margaret, 67, grabbed her purse. The caller ID said "Duke Energy." The voice sounded official. He had her account number. He knew her address.

She drove to Walgreens and bought $400 in gift cards. Read him the codes over the phone. He thanked her and hung up.

That night, her lights stayed on. Because Duke Energy never called. Because utilities don't take gift cards. Because Margaret just lost $400 to a scammer who'd called fifty other people that same morning.

The Better Business Bureau tracked median losses of $435 per victim^[3] in 2024. Hundreds of millions stolen annually. In deregulated states like Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, the competitive market gives scammers cover. With dozens of legitimate suppliers, one more name doesn't raise red flags.

Three main scams hit consumers: slamming (switching your supplier without permission), impersonation (pretending to be your utility), and the threatening call (demanding immediate payment). This guide shows you how to spot them before you become the next Margaret.

He looks official. Clipboard. ID badge. Maybe a polo with a utility logo.

"Hi, I'm with the electric company. We're checking bills for errors in your area. Mind if I take a quick look?"

He's not from your electric company. He wants one thing: your account number. With those 10-20 digits, he can switch your service without your permission. You'll find out in six weeks when an unfamiliar company appears on your bill, charging you double.

The excuses vary. "We're verifying accounts." "There's a special rate, but I need to see your current bill to calculate it." "Your neighbor just signed up." All designed to get your bill in his hands for thirty seconds.

Here's how you know it's a scam. He won't show proper ID when you ask. He needs an answer right now, this minute. He insists on seeing your bill. His rate sounds too good because it is.

Legitimate suppliers never require same-day decisions. They leave written materials. They let you think. If he needs an answer before he leaves your porch, the answer is no.

Your phone rings. Caller ID shows "AEP Ohio" or "PECO" or "Eversource."

"This is the utility company. Your account shows a past-due balance. If we don't receive payment in the next sixty minutes, your service will be disconnected."

Your heart rate spikes. You didn't know you were behind. The kids are home. The refrigerator. The heat.

"How do I pay?" you ask.

"I can take care of it right now. We accept Green Dot cards or Western Union."

Stop. That's not your utility. Caller ID can be spoofed. Your account number can be looked up. The whole script is designed to panic you into action before you think.

Real utilities send written notices. Multiple letters over weeks. They never demand same-day payment over the phone. They never threaten to cut power in an hour. They never accept gift cards.

If you get this call: hang up. Don't argue. Call the number on your actual bill and check your account. The scammer already dialed the next victim.

Tony opened his February bill and saw a company name he didn't recognize. His rate had jumped from 6.2 cents to 11.8 cents. He'd never heard of these people. Never signed anything.

He'd been slammed.

Slamming is when someone switches your electricity supplier without permission. Illegal? Yes. Still happens? Constantly.

How they do it: forge your signature on an enrollment form. Lie about what you're signing. Or use the account number you handed over when you thought they were just "checking rates."

How you find out: an unfamiliar company on your bill. A confirmation letter from a supplier you never contacted. Your rate changes without warning.

What to do: Call your utility immediately. File complaints with PUCO (Ohio), PA PUC (Pennsylvania), or MA DPU (Massachusetts). Save every bill, every letter, every email. State regulators have real enforcement power. They can force the slamming company to return you to your previous supplier and credit every penny of overcharges.

Tony got his $180 back. But it took three months and fourteen phone calls. Don't let someone else spend those hours because you showed a stranger your electric bill.

One question exposes 90% of electricity scams:

"How do I pay?"

Gift cards? Scam. Green Dot, iTunes, Google Play. The moment they say any of these words, hang up.

Wire transfer? Western Union, MoneyGram. Scam.

Cryptocurrency? Bitcoin, Venmo to an individual? Scam.

Cash to someone at your door? Scam.

Why scammers love these methods: once sent, gone forever. No chargebacks. No traces. No refunds. That's the entire point.

The rule: No legitimate utility or electricity supplier accepts gift cards. Ever. For any reason. Under any circumstances.

Real utilities accept boring payment methods. Credit cards through their official website. Debit cards. Checks mailed to their actual address. Bank transfers through their real online portal. Methods that can be traced, disputed, reversed.

The conversation that ends every scam:

"Sir, I need you to go to CVS and purchase—"

[Click]

You don't need to be polite. You don't need to explain. Just hang up.

"Afternoon, ma'am. I'm here to read your meter."

Uniform. Clipboard. Hard hat. He looks like every utility worker you've ever seen.

"It's in the basement, right? Won't take five minutes."

You let him in. He goes downstairs. You wait in the kitchen.

Two days later, your jewelry box is empty.

Once they're inside, the plays vary. Some steal valuables while you're distracted. Some "discover problems" with your wiring and demand cash for emergency repairs. Some just want to see what bills and documents you leave around.

Real utility workers carry company-issued photo ID. They schedule interior appointments in advance. Most important: they'll wait while you verify.

"I'm going to call the utility to confirm. Mind waiting?"

A real worker says: "No problem. Take your time."

A scammer says: "I don't have time for this" and leaves.

Verify first. Use the number on your bill, not any number they provide. Uniforms cost forty bucks online. ID badges cost twelve. Never let a stranger into your home because they dressed the part.

Your phone buzzes.

"PECO: Your account shows past due balance. Service interruption scheduled. Pay now to avoid: bit.ly/PECO-payment"

The logo looks right. The urgency feels real. Your thumb hovers over the link.

Don't click.

That link goes to a site that looks like PECO's. Same colors. Same logo. Same login page. You type your username and password. Now they have both.

Phishing texts and emails create artificial urgency. "Problem with your account." "Overdue payment." "Refund available—claim now." All designed to make you click before you think.

What real utilities don't do: email threats of disconnection. Text demands for immediate action. Send links you must click to avoid shutoff.

What to do instead: close the message. Type your utility's website directly into your browser. Log in. Check your account status. If there's a real problem, you'll see it there.

The ten seconds you spend typing a URL instead of clicking a link can save you months of identity theft cleanup.

Five warning signs. Any one of them means stop.

1. Urgency. "Pay now." "Decide today." "Offer expires when I leave." Real companies give you time. Scammers need you to act before you think.

2. Threats without paper. "We're cutting your power in an hour." Real utilities send multiple written notices over weeks before disconnection. No letters? No legitimacy.

3. Strange payment methods. Gift cards. Wire transfers. Cryptocurrency. Cash. The moment you hear any of these, the conversation is over.

4. "Let me see your bill." They want your account number. That's all they need to slam you.

5. Too good to be true. A rate half of what everyone else charges? A "government rebate" you never heard of? If the math doesn't make sense, the offer isn't real.

When in doubt: hang up. Close the door. Delete the email. Then call your utility using the number on your actual bill.

Ten minutes of verification saves hundreds of dollars and weeks of cleanup. Every single time.

Before signing anything, verify the supplier is real. Takes two minutes. Saves months of problems.

Ohio: PUCO's certified supplier list at energychoice.ohio.gov.

Pennsylvania: Licensed suppliers at papowerswitch.com.

Massachusetts: DPU licensing database.

Or use ElectricRates.org: We only show plans from state-licensed suppliers. Fraudulent providers can't appear on our site.

When dealing with someone directly, ask for their license number. Then verify it. Check online reviews. Look at BBB ratings.

The test: "What's your PUCO license number?"

Legitimate response: "It's 17-2145, you can verify it at puco.ohio.gov."

Scammer response: "You don't need that. This offer expires in ten minutes."

Companies that avoid verification questions aren't companies worth your business. Real suppliers welcome scrutiny. They hand over their license number because they're proud of it.

Report scams. Not just for yourself. For the next victim.

Ohio: PUCO at 1-800-686-7826
Pennsylvania: PA PUC at 1-800-692-7380
Massachusetts: MA DPU at 1-877-886-5066

These aren't suggestion boxes. State regulators have enforcement power. They investigate. They fine. They shut operations down.

Also report to:
- Your utility company (for impersonators)
- FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov^[1]
- Your state Attorney General
- Better Business Bureau at bbb.org/scamtracker

Why bother? Volume. The more reports, the faster authorities act. Your report might be the one that tips an investigation into action. The one that stops a scammer before they call the next Margaret.

If you've been slammed or overcharged, reporting is also how you get your money back. Regulators can force companies to credit every dollar. They've done it thousands of times.

Scammers count on silence. Don't give it to them.