Eni and Enel have announced in recent days some discounts to benefit Italian families, oppressed by high bills (as well as by the dizzying cost of fuel) due to the geopolitical tensions originating from the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the agency Adnkronos this would have partly caused an increase in scam attempts by cyber criminals who, by exploiting the theme of bill discounts, appear to be launching a new wave of telephone scams. It is estimated that in the last year 2.9 million Italians have lost their lives due to this type of scam, for a total damage of 650 million euros.
The mechanism with which scammers could try to catch you too is simple: you could receive a call from someone who presents himself as an operator in the energy sector and this could offer you a discount by referring to the new measures against high bill prices, with the aim of convincing you that it is an opportunity to be seized immediately, before the tariff increases again.
The risk of encountering situations of this type is far from marginal. According to a survey published this summer by the portal Facile.itin the last year 2.9 million Italians were victims of a scam or an attempted scam linked to energy supplies, for a total damage estimated at almost 650 million euros. Compared to three years ago, the number has decreased by 27%, but the phenomenon remains very widespread and, as just mentioned, the recent news coming from the energy market could lead to a new increase in scam attempts. Let’s see what we can do to defend ourselves.
The main channels of energy-related scams
According to the survey conducted by Facile.itto which we referred earlier, among the tools most used by fraudsters in the energy market are fake call centers. By making large volumes of phone calls, often through automated systems, these scammers contact large numbers of potential customers in a relatively short time. The caller can present himself as a consultant for your supplier, as a representative of another company or as a representative of an unspecified agency and offer an attractive discount on the bill.
If the person answering the call is a customer who is unhappy with their tariff, they may become curious, lower their attention threshold and therefore ignore some obvious warning signs, which are actually typical of similar telephone scams. And the news on the real discounts applied by some energy providers could somehow make everything more credible.
But what are these warning signs that should not be ignored? If the caller claims that your supplier is about to increase prices, that you risk losing a discount or that you need to change your contract immediately to benefit from the new benefits, don’t ignore the sense of urgency that the person on the other end of the phone wants to impose.
You must also pay attention to the data requested during the phone call. Whoever contacts you may ask you for the POD code or the PDR code: the first uniquely identifies the electricity supply point, while the second identifies the gas supply point. These are data that remain associated with the supply even when the operator is changed and which can be used to start a contract change procedure.
You may also be asked for your tax code, IBAN or other personal data. You should not disclose them just because the other party claims to represent your current supplier. If a company with which you have a contractual relationship actually contacts you, you can interrupt the call and contact them again using the official contact details, shown on your bill or easily found online, on the official website of your energy provider.
When faced with an insistent interlocutor, whether he or she shows up on the phone or in person at your door, it is preferable not to hastily confirm personal or contractual information and, above all, not to accept an offer without having carefully checked the conditions and costs. The simple fact that the person calling you knows some data about your user does not prove that they are really your supplier.
What to do if you have already been scammed
If you have already fallen into similar traps and signed a contract by deception, it does not necessarily mean that you cannot do anything. In case of fraud you should report the incident to the Postal Police.
If, however, you have not been the victim of a real scam but have signed an offer without thinking too much, always remember that within 14 days of signing by telephone or online you can exercise the right to change your mind and withdraw without paying any penalty.
