Warning on Pay Point Receipt

I_luv_cats

There is a warning from SSE (never seen that warning before) saying don't be fooled into buying Electricity top ups from irregular sources!!

Anybody aware of rogues fooling anybody into buying illegal /fake top ups.

Joyful

We have been advised that it has come to the attention of the Energy Suppliers that people have been selling top ups for prepayment meters on the doorstep. This means if people purchase that way from the con artists it will not get to the suppliers therefore they will build up a debt effectively paying twice for their fuel.

The ONLY way to top up is either at a Paypoint, Payzone or through the web with the supplier direct. This message is going out to all the top up shops so that people cannot say they were not warned.

This is affecting ALL suppliers.

I_luv_cats

It makes you wonder what these scammers will get up to next!!

Haarlem

ever since prepayment meters moved away from taking coins.

Warning has always been made not to buy from unathorised sellers.

beelywoker

I've just come off the phone from my mum who is extremley distressed.

She rereceive a letter a month or so ago warning about illegal activity in her area, which she read and ignored.

however today, she has received a letter saying she has been using an illegal supply, of which they have evidence and they are taking £50 back from her. They are also going to inform people (credit reference companys) that she has been using illegal source?

She only ever uses the online British Gas website to buy her electic, so has no idea what they are talking about. She is furious! Annoyingly the number the they give to call is shut until Monday.

Has anyone else had this expereince. Surely they can't take £50 from her without investigating it first???

Sarah

delain

When I had a meter in my old flat Southern Electric came out and said they'd had no money from our address for a year :eek:

As it was a pre payment meter there was no comeback for us because if we hadn't been paying we would have had no power.

Never did find out where our money was going, but we always used the paypoint in the local shop.

Premier_2

beelywoker wrote: »

... Surely they can't take £50 from her without investigating it first???

Sarah

How exactly are they going to take £50 from her, whether before or after investigation? :huh:

They could ask her to pay, but not sure how they can just take it.

If she disagrees with it, she should raise a formal dispute, which will usually put the disputed amount on hold pending a decision on the dispute.

stewie_griffin

Premier wrote: »

How exactly are they going to take £50 from her, whether before or after investigation? :huh:

They could ask her to pay, but not sure how they can just take it.

If she disagrees with it, she should raise a formal dispute, which will usually put the disputed amount on hold pending a decision on the dispute.

I'd imagine they will remotely set a £50 debt on her meter to collect back at £5-£10 per week.

beelywoker

She called them today, and they looked at her account and said it was a mistake, no illegal use was recorded.... !

I_luv_cats

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11201806


Article on the top-up scam

tghe-retford

Quite a stern warning actually. If you get scammed, basically the electric companies will not help you, you'll have to pay again and if you can't afford it, you will have action taken against you in the form of debt recovery.

Pretty nasty underlying message actually if you look between the lines and you become a victim to this scam.

Just to note from the BBC News article, purchasing electricity from one of the scammers is ILLEGAL and YOU could end up with the legal consequences of buying discounted electric. ONLY purchase electric from trusted retailers.