Dominion Energy Shares Signs of Utility Scams, Urges Customers to Stay Safe As Holidays Approach

RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 15, 2023

"Regardless of what holiday is on the calendar, we want to remind our customers that these scammers never take the day off," said Frank Hinckle, General Manager of Customer Service at Dominion Energy Virginia. "In fact, we often see an increase in scam activity this time of year when customers may be vulnerable or distracted during the busy rush of the holiday season."

Know the warning signs of a utility scam:

1. Dominion Energy will never demand payment with a credit or debit card by phone or ask a customer to wire a transfer, send a money order or buy a prepaid or gift card to pay a utility bill.
2. Dominion Energy does not call and threaten service disconnection if a customer does not make a payment immediately.
3. Utility scammers are known to falsify their caller ID to make it appear the call is from a Dominion Energy customer service number. When in doubt, hang up.
4. Utility scammers often target small businesses and threaten service disconnection during peak business hours to instill fear and a sense of urgency.
5. Customers should not allow individuals claiming to be Dominion Energy employees to enter their homes without proper identification, an appointment or a reported emergency.

What to do if customers receive a suspicious call:

• Hang up. Do not provide account, payment or any other personal information.
• Verify. Scammers do not typically know the customer's account balance. Customers can verify their account balance and payment due date on the Dominion Energy app or online. 
• Ignore. Do not respond to suspicious emails or text messages. Do not click on links or attachments prompting energy bill payment.

For more scam prevention tips, visit DominionEnergy.com.

View the Spanish version of this press release.