Scammers Threaten to Shut Off Utilities

Winter brings cold weather, and cold weather makes your home’s heating system incredibly important. Scammers take advantage of this and contact consumers pretending to be their utility company. They threaten to disconnect consumers’ utilities due to late payments, incorrectly filed documents, or any other reason, and demand money.

The scam works like this: The scammers contact consumers claiming to represent a local utility company – and may even manipulate their caller ID or email address to appear as that company. They may mention work orders, billing statements, truck numbers, or other highly specific details to make a story seem legitimate. The scammer wants their targets to act out of fear before they get a chance to stop and think, so they will use high-pressure tactics and ask for immediate payment.

· Utility companies will contact you by mail if your account is overdue. They may also call you, but won’t demand immediate payment. As a last resort, a company representative will come to your door with an ID badge to deliver another written notice.

· If a caller demands payment by prepaid card, gift card, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer, it’s a scam. Hang up!

· If you are unsure of the status of your account, don’t listen to a cold caller or click on links from mysterious texts or emails. Instead, contact your utility provider using the contact information from a billing statement or their official website.

Remember: Wisconsin’s winter moratorium on utility disconnections is now active (and will end April 15, 2025). Consumers who need assistance with their utility bills can reach out to the following resources:

· Energy Assistance: Call Statewide Customer Care Center at 1-800-506-5596 or visit EnergyAndHousing.wi.gov and search for the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP)

· Water Assistance: Call Statewide Customer Care Center at 1-800-506-5596

· Information and referrals for thousands of other services in Wisconsin: Call 211 Wisconsin’s 24/7/365 hotline at 2-1-1 or text your ZIP code to 898211

· Questions about Wisconsin utilities: Call the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin at psc.wi.gov or 608-266-2001 / 1-800-225-7729