PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island Energy said there has been an uptick in scammers that are going around pretending to be from the utility provider and demanding money from customers.

A woman reached out to 12 Responds regarding a phone call she received from someone who appeared to be from Rhode Island Energy. She explained that the caller claimed her electric bill hadn’t been paid.

“They can even change the ID so it says you are getting a call from Rhode Island Energy and its not us,” Rhode Island Energy spokesperson Caroline Pretyman said.

The scammer told the woman she needed to pay the bill over the phone or else her electricity would be shut off. But Pretyman said the utility provider will never demand money over the phone and would also never ask for payment via Zelle or Venmo.

Pretyman recommends customers ask to speak with a service agent, who can verify the last five digits of the account number.

“If this person calling you can’t give you your account number, that means they are not from Rhode Island Energy,” she said.

Customers have reported fake door-to-door salesmen who are pretending to be from the utility provider. Those salesmen typically want to sell solar panels, which is something Pretyman said Rhode Island Energy doesn’t do.

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