At the price that electricity is putting, we are all looking to save a few euros on the electricity bill. And that makes us vulnerable: scammers have quickly appeared who take advantage of themselves by identifying themselves as Iberdrola or others. The Twitter message of the Civil Guard is very clear. Don't let a stranger examine your electricity bill, that could facilitate fraudulent hiring and give you headaches.
Much to lose ...
It's simple: they knock on your door, present false credentials, and ask for your latest invoice to verify the data. If you give it to them, you are giving them your ID and bank account number… a bad idea!
Then you may be offered a contract change. If, like most, you have not changed your contract after the change a few years ago, it may make sense. Your contract is an extension of the old one (“Last Resort Fee”) and it seems logical that there is something better. Be careful, because the Civil Guard has detected who makes false contracts : they will charge you for a light that you have not paid. And you will end up without money and without electricity.
”¦ and little to gain
Actually, what can be saved with these changes? Well, even though some of them are legal, little, and in the long term even nothing or worse. It is better to know well how much we spend at home and what contract we need, to adjust it. For a time, many houses received a visit from an Iberdrola (or other electricity company) salesperson who offered a change of contract with discounts of 10 or 15 percent.
Some companies have done dishonest promotions
If you looked at the fine print, you would discover that in exchange for the discount you were contracting a “premium service” of quick attention and other supposed advantages… That was not free for more than the first two or three months. Afterwards, I had a quota, which ate (more than) the savings. It was not a scam, but they did not inform you of everything , and many people who were older or who did not read the fine print “bitten”.
What to do in these cases? We can listen to what they tell us, but neither show any paper nor sign anything, NEVER. If they have convinced us, we DO NOT sign: we fire them and call our company ( electricity, gas, whatever). If there really are offers, the operator will tell us, and we will know with whom we speak.
Electricity, every day more expensive.