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Uploaded: Tuesday, November 20, 2012, 3:47 PM
Phone call scams claim to offer utility deals
Palo Alto Utilities Department issues warning to residents about fraudulent calls
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by Sue Dremann
Palo Alto Weekly Staff
Two scams targeting Palo Alto utilities customers are circulating around the city, and the City of Palo Alto Utilities Department is alerting residents to beware.
On Tuesday, Nov. 20, department Communications Manager Debra Katz sent an email notice to neighborhood leaders about two known scams. Here are the details:
1. Contractor calls claiming to be from "your utility" and wanting to help residents save energy/cut their bills:
a. They may ask to come to the resident's house ... or to sell a product over the phone.
b. One such company known to the department is "Tiger Gas," operating out of Asia, but there are others.
c. The scammers often make reference to PG&E -- a dead giveaway because PG&E is not Palo Alto's utility company.
d. City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) rarely makes "cold" phone calls to customers about its efficiency programs.
During August, in accordance with state regulations, the utilities department hires a telephone survey company to call a sampling of customers to ask about their knowledge of gas safety. But if the department ever did call regarding a program, employees would clearly identify themselves and would explain the reason for the call.
2. Water-leak insurance companies claiming that residents need this insurance against unexpectedly high water bills:
a. Residents will often get a letter in the mail rather than a phone call with this type of scam.
b. A private company will be offering to insure the resident against the expense of a leak on their side of the meter. It is true that residents are responsible for water costs resulting from a leak in their homes, but the utilities department encourages residents to guard against such costs by checking their home plumbing and not ignoring things like "running toilets."
c. The letters or calls sometimes imply the company has connections with the utilities department (they do not).
d. The letters or calls typically exaggerate the likelihood and magnitude of the problem.
e. CPAU does not recommend or endorse such insurance projects.
f. In the event of an undetected leak leading to high water charges, the utilities department recommends residents contact their regular homeowner's insurance representative to see if their existing policy covers such losses (some do and some do not).
When in doubt about whether a caller is affiliated with City of Palo Alto Utilities, residents can call the Customer Services Center at 650-329-2161.Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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Posted by Resident, a resident of the Charleston Meadows neighborhood, on Nov 25, 2012 at 8:12 am The other day a man walked up my driveway as I was playing with the kids handed me his supposed palo alto business card and told me the city was doing a utility upgrade. He asked for my phone number to make an appointment. I did not give it to him. I asked him to have the city contact me via phone. He himself did not look fishy and I almost believed him, but I thought just to be safe.
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Posted by Resident, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 25, 2012 at 9:18 am Any time I get a junk phone call that mentions P G & E I put the phone down. I seem to get a load of calls that mention P G & E.
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Posted by resident, a resident of the Charleston Gardens neighborhood, on Nov 25, 2012 at 9:51 am I am constantly getting phone calls trying to sell me "AT&T U-Verse". I tell them I have no interest in that product, but they keep calling, at least once a week for the past year. Is this a scam, too?
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Posted by neighbor, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 25, 2012 at 11:39 am NO AT&T U-Vere is legit, but I am annoyed to receive several pieces of mail as well as frequent phone calls trying to secure our business. We use another vendor, and find the massive sales effort very wasteful.
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Posted by neighbor, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 25, 2012 at 11:39 am I meant: several pieces of ad mail PER WEEK from these folks.
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Posted by Horselady, a resident of the Community Center neighborhood, on Nov 27, 2012 at 10:16 am We get 2-3 calls PER DAY!
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