BGE says people pose as utility workers to steal money

Baltimore - They look like BGE workers there to help. But in reality, all these people want is steal from you one way or another. ABC2 News Joce Sterman is putting the power in your hands. She's got details on how you can spot a utility imposter in this week's Scam Alert.

The winter months have many people moving up the mercury. But Maryland's biggest utility company is also turning up the heat on scam artists by spreading the word about a potential scheme. Spokeswoman Linda Foy says, "We don't want our customers to become victims of folks who may be impersonating BGE employees."

That's why the company is warning people about utility imposters. Foy says some pretend to be BGE workers to get into your home so they can steal from you, others claim you're behind on your bill and if you want to keep the power on, you have to make a cash payment.

Although the company does collect door to door, they stopped taking cash years ago, so if a so-called BGE worker asks for bills - it's probably bull. Foy explains, "There may be some customers out there who recall those days and because of that they may believe this is a legitimate person working for BGE. But BGE stopped accepted cash payments sometime ago. We don't accept cash payments anymore."

And they don't want people to simply accept that any person who comes to the door claiming to be with the company actually is. So if a BGE worker wants into your home, you should ask to see their company identification. BGE badges have the company logo and the employee’s picture. Foy says, "If there's any doubt, you can always call us and we can verify that for the customer.

Foy warns that utility imposters often carry official looking credentials and often work in pairs. She says it's important to remember the only time a BGE rep will want into your home is during an emergency, to check equipment, read meters or stop and start service.