Utility Bill Scams
March 2, 2026
Utility bills are often higher in the wintertime, especially after long stretches of freezing temperatures. Scammers know this and use this information to try to take advantage of others. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from your gas, water, or electric company threatening to shut off your service if you do not make an immediate payment by wire, gift card, or cryptocurrency, it is a scam. Real utility companies will never make this kind of request. Here are two things to remember if you ever receive a call from someone claiming to be from a utility company.
- Hang up and call the number on the utility company’s website or on your most recent bill. Do not take a chance by interacting with the individual on the phone.
- There is never a legitimate reason for your utility company to request payment by wire, gift card, or cryptocurrency. Only scammers request these forms of payment.
If you believe you have been contacted by a scammer pretending to represent one of the utility companies you use, report the scam to your actual utility company, submit a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and file a complaint with your state attorney general.