Watch out for utility scammers this holiday season

WASHINGTON — ‘Tis the season for turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and scammers.

Dominion Virginia is reminding customers to be on guard against scammers who are trying to trick them into making payments over the phone.

“These people are skilled cold-callers who are scamming victims out of information as well as out of their money,” says Chuck Penn with Dominion says. “Dominion will never ask anyone for payment over the phone, or ask for personal information over the phone.”

Dominion tells WTOP that customers will never be told payment is necessary to avoid losing electricity service over the phone.

They ask anyone who suspects they have been contacted by a scammer to try to get some information before they hang up the phone.  

Try to get their name, or at least note the number that shows up on the caller ID.

Then, customers are advised to call police, and to call Dominion at 1-866-DOM-HELP to report the suspicious call.

Dominion Virginia Power created a video to illustrate what a customer should do if they are targeted by a scammer.

Watch it below.

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