UGI Intensifies Campaign Against Utility Scammers Targeting Customers Through Fraudulent Ads
TL;DR
UGI's awareness campaign helps customers avoid financial losses by recognizing scam tactics that demand fraudulent payments for utility services.
Scammers create fake online ads with fraudulent phone numbers that impersonate utility companies to extract personal information and demand unusual payment methods.
UGI's public education efforts protect vulnerable customers from financial harm and strengthen community trust in essential utility services.
Scammers use search engine ads posing as utility companies to trick customers into paying for fake service issues and gas leak investigations.
UGI Utilities is intensifying its campaign against scammers who are aggressively targeting utility customers through fraudulent online advertisements. Despite ongoing awareness efforts, customers continue to fall victim to these deceptive schemes, prompting the utility company to collaborate with law enforcement departments to alert the public about the escalating threat.
The scammers create fraudulent online ads that often include phone numbers or website addresses not connected to legitimate utility companies. These serve as bait to connect customers directly with scammers, who then pose as representatives from whatever utility the customer is attempting to reach. Several UGI customers have reported calling phone numbers from these scam ads and being tricked into paying for service-related issues that typically involve no charge, or being told they must pay a fee for UGI to investigate a possible gas leak. UGI emphasizes that it never charges customers to investigate potential gas leaks.
Scammers typically target customers who use search engines to look up phrases such as "utility phone number" or "how to pay my utility bill." When customers search for these terms, sponsored ads can appear in search results, leading unsuspecting individuals to fraudulent websites or phone numbers. Once on the phone with scammers, customers are subjected to high-pressure tactics demanding payment through unusual methods while being asked to confirm account information, including name, phone number, and email address.
The most effective protection against these scams is for customers to know and use their utility's official contact information. For UGI customers, the only phone number to call for any issue, including bill payment or account and service concerns, is 800-276-2722, and the official website is https://www.ugi.com. UGI serves more than 760,000 customers and maintains comprehensive information available at https://www.ugi.com to help customers verify legitimate communication channels.
This expanding scam campaign highlights broader cybersecurity vulnerabilities affecting utility customers nationwide. The implications extend beyond financial losses to potential identity theft and compromised personal security. As scammers increasingly exploit digital advertising platforms, utility companies face growing challenges in protecting customer trust and maintaining secure communication channels. The collaboration between UGI and law enforcement represents a critical step in addressing these sophisticated fraud operations that threaten consumer confidence in essential utility services.
Curated from Reportable