It is important to remind customers again of important energy assistance that is available to help meet their energy needs. BGE has many programs in place to help customers through temporary or extended financial hardship. Additionally, BGE is suspending service disconnections and waiving new late payment charges at least until
"It is unfortunate that scammers are using this time of health and financial uncertainty to attempt to deceive our customers," said
In some cases, the recorded message that customers hear when calling a legitimate company has been duplicated by scammers, so when customers call the number provided by the scammer, it sounds like an actual business. Some scammers also use caller ID "spoofing" to replicate a utility's phone number.
Don't Get Scammed: Customers can avoid being scammed by taking a few precautions:
* Never provide your social security number or personal information to anyone initiating contact with you claiming to be a utility representative or requesting you to send money to another person or entity other than your local utility providers.
* Always ask to see a company photo ID before allowing any utility worker into your home or business.
* Do not give payment in any form- cash, check, or credit- to anyone coming to your door.
How to protect yourself:
* Utility representatives will never ask or require a customer with a past due balance to purchase a prepaid debit card to avoid disconnection. Additionally, all service disconnections have been suspended through at least
* Customers can make payments online, by phone, automatic bank withdrawal, mail or in person.
* While BGE is currently suspending service disconnections, under normal circumstances customers with a past due balance will receive multiple shut off notifications - never a single notification one hour before disconnection.
* If a customer ever questions the legitimacy of the call, hang up and call BGE at 800-685-0123.
* BGE already has your account information and past bills. If you are authorizing a legitimate third- party energy supplier to switch your energy supply, they will need you to disclose your electric choice ID or natural gas choice ID at the time you are authorizing to be switched to their service. If you do not intend to switch your energy supplier, do not provide your choice ID number(s) or a copy of your bill to anyone.
Any customer who believes he or she has been a target of a scam is urged to contact their local police and call BGE immediately at 800-685-0123 to report the situation.
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BGE, founded in 1816 as the nation's first gas utility and headquartered in
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