Telephone Scam
NATIONAL GRID REMINDS NEW ENGLAND CUSTOMERS OF PAYMENT SCAM
Customer Phone Payments Are Accepted But Never Demanded
WALTHAM. Mass. -- National Grid again is reminding its customers of a nationwide utility bill scam. National Grid electric customers have received telephone calls from individuals claiming to work for National Grid. These scammers demand payment, through a pre-paid card, on past due balances for electric accounts and threaten customers that their service will immediately be shut-off for non-payment. In some cases, the caller also tells the customer that they may have a faulty meter that is dangerous and in need of replacing for a substantial fee. The electric meter is the property of National Grid. Customers are not responsible for meter replacement costs. Callers are then directed to purchase a pre-paid card to make an immediate payment in order to keep their power on.
National Grid does contact customers with past due balances by phone to offer payment options, but never demands direct payment over the telephone. 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 who have received calls demanding immediate payment through a pre-paid card or who may have been given fraudulent phone numbers for National Grid should make note of the company’s published customer service number. To verify information and for any billing-related questions in New England, customers should call National Grid’s Customer Contact Center at 1-800-322-3223.
About National Grid
National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks. The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century. National Grid holds a vital position at the center of the energy system and it ‘joins everything up’.
In the northeast US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles. In Great Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country.
National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island. It manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation, providing power to over one million LIPA customers. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
For more information please visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com