May 2, 2017

HALTON HILLS, ON – A phone scam targeting hydro customers has been reported in Halton Hills.

Halton Hills Hydro customers are reporting that they have been targeted by a phone scam. The scam involves a caller posing as a utility official and threatening to cut off electricity to the home or business if they don’t immediately make payment through a money wire transfer or pre-paid credit cards.

In some cases personal bank account or credit card information has been requested. There have also been reports of callers requesting that payment be dropped off at an unusual location such as a gas station.

Customers are reminded that Halton Hills Hydro never asks for payment via pre-paid credit card or wire transfer and would never ask for payment at an alternate location.  Our official payment depots are the Halton Hills Hydro office in Acton and Young’s Pharmacy in Georgetown.

Protect yourself against these scams. Do not agree to make payment through any of these means and do not give out any personal information over the phone.

Halton Hills Hydro has an arrears management program where we work extensively with our customers to help them with flexible payment arrangements and provide information on available support programs and resources including the Ontario Electricity Support Program. Disconnection of service is only a last resort and only takes place under the Ontario Energy Board’s rules for electricity utilities. More information regarding those rules can be found on the Ontario Energy Board website:  https://www.oeb.ca/consumer-protection/rules-electricity-utilities

If you receive a suspicious call, hang up immediately. If you have any questions about your account, please call our office at 519-853-3701.

If you receive a fraudulent phone call you can report the scam to the police or to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or info@antifraudcentre.ca.