TORONTO HYDRO CUSTOMER ALERT: Criminals posing as utility employees and seeking payment over the phone

TORONTO, June 27, 2014 /CNW/ - A scam reported in the United States is making its way over the border.  Reports of utility customers being scammed have surfaced in Thunder Bay and now Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited ("Toronto Hydro") is aware of multiple incidents with its customers.

According to the reports, customers are receiving phone calls from people claiming to be from the 'termination department' of the company. The calls are being made from a 1-800 phone number and victims are being threatened with having their electricity disconnected if they do not immediately provide payment in the form of a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer.   

Toronto Hydro does not ask for a pre-paid credit card payment or wire transfer in overdue account situations nor does its Customer Care have a 1-800 number.  Toronto Hydro also provides multiple communications prior to disconnection.

Should customers receive a suspicious call:

• Do not provide any personal information including account numbers
• Collect any information possible about the caller
• Contact Customer Care at 416-542-8000 during regular business hours, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to report the incident

About Toronto Hydro

Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited owns and operates an electricity distribution system, which delivers electricity to approximately 733,000 customers located in the City of Toronto. It is the largest municipal electricity distribution company in Canada and distributes approximately 18% of the electricity consumed in the province of Ontario.

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SOURCE: Toronto Hydro Corporation

Tanya Bruckmueller, Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited, [email protected], 416-903-0440