Deepak Gupta

Brand and service impersonation · Also called power shutoff scam, electric bill scam, gas company scam, water shutoff scam

Utility disconnection scam

A utility disconnection scam is when someone posing as your electricity, gas, or water company says your bill is overdue and your service will be cut off within hours. They demand immediate payment by gift card, payment app, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency, and sometimes visit in person claiming to collect it.

How it works

The scammer calls, texts, emails, or knocks on the door, claiming to be from the utility company.
They say your account is overdue, a payment failed, or a new meter or deposit is needed.
They threaten to cut off service the same day unless you pay right away.
They demand payment through methods that are hard to reverse, such as gift cards, payment apps, wire transfers, or crypto.

Red flags

A caller threatens to disconnect your service today unless you pay immediately.
You are told to pay by gift card, payment app, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency.
The caller's account details or amount owed do not match your latest bill.
Someone at the door asks for payment or entry without identification you can verify.

If you are targeted

Stop contact: hang up or close the door, and do not pay.
Call your utility on the number on your bill or its official website to check your account.
If you paid, contact your bank, payment app, or the gift card company straight away.
Report it. Our Report a scam page lists where to report in your country, such as ic3.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov in the US.
Tell your utility company too, so it can warn other customers.

Where to report, by country

Prevention

For individuals

Know that the FTC says real utility companies will not demand immediate payment to avoid same-day disconnection.
Check any claim about your account by calling the number on your bill, not a number the caller gives.
Do not let anyone into your home to inspect or replace equipment until you have confirmed the visit with the utility.

For organisations

Utilities can publish how they contact customers before disconnection and which payment methods they accept.
Utilities can give field staff photo identification that customers can check by calling a published number.

Real cases

No documented case in the atlas yet. New cases are added as they are sourced.

Delivered through: Voice phishing (vishing), SMS phishing (smishing)

How official datasets classify it

FTC: Utilities
UK Finance: Impersonation: other

Questions

Will my power company cut me off today if I do not pay now?: The FTC says real utility companies will not demand immediate payment to avoid same-day disconnection. Hang up and call the number on your bill.
Can I pay a utility with a gift card?: No. Real utilities do not ask for payment by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or payment app. A demand for any of these is a sign of a scam.