KITTY HAWK, N.C. — Dominion Energy warns that some would-be scammers are getting bit more brazen.
The utility told News 3 it’s received a growing number of complaints in northeastern North Carolina of scammers calling and texting customers - angrily demanding payment at risk of disconnection.
And now there are reports of people in Virginia and North Carolina posing as Dominion Energy workers and going door to door in neighborhoods. They’re promising discounts to people who are eligible for Medicare or Medicaid.
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“My heart breaks to hear about customers who've been lied to and taken advantage of from scammers,” said Cherise Newsome, with Dominion Energy. “Oftentimes, they're preying on some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and they're asking them for very personal information in exchange for a discount on their bill.”
Another scam is promising targeted discounts on electric bills from the upcoming offshore wind project off the coast of Virginia Beach. Again, Dominion says that’s not true. Newsome encourages people to call and report any scams they encounter.
“When you report a scam to us or suspicions about fraudulent activity, then we're able to monitor your account and trends within our service areas,” Newsom said. “By reporting those scams to the Federal Trade Commission and through our work with them, then the FTC is better able to monitor scams and scamming trends across utilities across regions and to better prepare customers with information to help avoid being scammed.”
Newsome said anyone who needs financial assistance with their bill can contact 1-866-DOM-HELP to see what options are available.
