Has your museum been contacted by bogus energy suppliers recently? Here at AIM and the AIM Energy Action Group, we have been receiving an unusually high number of reports of fake calls related to utilities from members across the UK. AIM staff have also received such calls and often the caller can use aggressive selling tactics.
Members have been reporting that the caller, pretending to represent your energy supplier, will tell you that your energy contract is about to end, and you need to agree a new contract immediately. Alternatively, they will tell you that your contract has already ended, and you are being penalised, so you must sign up to a new contract today.
It is unusual to receive calls of these types from energy suppliers. If you do receive a call, do not divulge any information. Ask for their name and telephone number and tell them you will call them back. You can verify your supplier’s phone number from their website. You can call them to confirm this is a valid call.
We asked Geoff Berry from Touchstone Services that works with us on the AIM Energy Action Group for his advice. Geoff said:
“Whatever you do, do not agree anything over the phone. Don’t give the caller any information about yourself, your company, your meter or supply details. This is a common energy scam. They will use any information you give them to create a verbal contract. We discourage verbal contracts in all circumstances. They are open to fraud and manipulation.”
As in the case of many of these scams, it is best to simply ask the caller to put any information in a letter and hang up. If they are a legitimate company, they will be happy to do this. If you have any concerns or need energy saving help, please get in touch with Touchstone.
Another recent scam entails the caller stating that your gas or electricity hasn’t changed supplier correctly and is about to be cut off. A similar one states that your meter is faulty and must be replaced.
If you are a member of the AIM Energy Action Group (EAG) your energy supply would have been dealt with by the EAG basket process and we would have been aware of this type of issue and we would have contacted you directly.
If you are not a member, you should contact your supplier directly, using the phone number on a recent energy bill. A quick call to them will put your mind at rest. Again, they will contact you directly, usually in writing, if there are any issues.
Don’t forget you can join the AIM Energy Action group for free here.
There are many other similar scams. The important thing is to follow the same process. Do not give them any information. Ask them to put anything in writing and send it by mail. Then hang up.
If you are worried by any calls of this nature, the AIM EAG is always willing to intervene on your behalf. Just call the following number and give us the details: 01252 338777
1: Do not agree to anything over the phone, no matter how insistent the caller is
2: Do not give the caller any information about yourself, museum, or gas/electricity meter details
3: Ask them to send any information to you by post
4: Put the phone down and check the number they called you from, is it the company they said they were calling from?
5: Forward any information to us (or the energy adviser you are using) that you are unsure about
6: If you think you have entered into an agreement of some sort, contact AIM EAG on 01252 338777