National Grid warns customers of scam

Date: 5/29/2014

WALTHAM – Once again National Grid customers in New England are being targeted by utility bill scammers demanding immediate payment for electric bill balances, which customers might not even owe. The fraudulent callers are claiming to be from National Grid and threatening customers with immediate service shut-off unless they provide credit card or bank account information that can be used to access the accounts.

There have been numerous reports of these types of scams in several states during the past year and National Grid continues to advise customers to be wary of any caller who threatens immediate service termination unless an immediate payment is made.

National Grid does contact customers with past due balances by phone to offer payment options and to remind them that service shutoff is a possibility if they fail to pay their past due balance. If customers wish, they can arrange for a payment by check, credit card or debit card if they speak directly to a customer service representative. Payment can also be made by credit card or debit card without a representative’s assistance.

Customers should verify they are speaking with a National Grid representative. One way to do this is to commit to memory the last five digits of their National Grid account number and ask the caller to provide those numbers. If the caller can’t provide the information, if you doubt the caller is a National Grid representative, or if you have any questions about your balance, hang up immediately and call National Grid’s customer contact center at 800-322-3223.