Possible Scam

cazzym78

The other morning there was a loud knock at our door, it was quite early and I was still in my pyjamas so I ignored it, however my husband popped his head out of the bedroom window and spoke to the gentle man at the door, he was in a suit with a clipboard and looked all official. He told my husband that he was from meter read or some other company like that and British Gas had been overcharging us and we were due some money back. My husband told us he would have to call back later and the man said he would just send it all to us in writing.

I was a bit wary and made my husband ring OFGEM and British Gas, neither of which knew anything about this.

We live in Sheffield and I just wanted to know if anyone else near us or anywhere else in the country had experienced anything like this and if not just to warn people to be careful of these people.

macman

They're just cold-calling switchers, ignore them.

Jon_Tiffany

macman wrote: »

They're just cold-calling switchers, ignore them.

We get a lot round our way. They wear hi viz jackets and hold a piece of equipment to try and look as official as possible. As macman said, just ignore them.

I think that the tactics of these door knockers should be banned.

torbrex

As a bona fida meter reader, these guys make my job a nightmare, they make it difficult for me to actually get in to do my job. Some of these sales people actually say they are just there to read the meter and it is not until they have got a reading that they go into their routine.

I always tell people to check with the caller who they are representing and what they actually want and if still in doubt to phone the number on the callers badge and verify their ID, real meter readers will not mind.

brewerdave

Having not seen a Utility rep for several months its been just like the buses here in Cardiff-all coming at once; Had the third sales rep. knocking yesterday in less than a week! Ignored a couple but.....................
SWALEC doorknockers have come up with a new wheeze - playing the "patriotic" card - trying to get me to support my own "country" by switching back to SWALEC!! (Didn't tell him I'm English) - just mentioned that I'm tied in til 2012(I'm not!!) - salesman exit stage left!!

Premier_2

cazzym78 wrote: »

...I was a bit wary ...

We live in Sheffield and I just wanted to know if anyone else near us or anywhere else in the country had experienced anything like this and if not just to warn people to be careful of these people.

If you are at all concerned with anyone you see acting suspiciously or who worries you by calling at your door, call the Police immediately.

But as macman says, it sounds like they are just door to door salespeople ... although perhaps not if they were calling so early in the morning :eek:

Unfortunately, as you posted your comments at 4.41pm some days later, if these people were doing anything they shouldn't have been, I'm sure they'd have disappeared a long time before you posted

macman

They call whenever they think you'll be in-I had BG at 7.30pm on a Sunday night recently...it was a short conversation!

Premier_2

I'm usually in everyday at 3am in the morning, as are most of the occupants of our street ... but I doubt I'd answer the door to anyone I didn't know at that time.

macman

That probably wouldn't deter some of them..you get to be pretty thick-skinned doing that job.

davidgmmafan

There are all sorts of corkers, apparently NPower gets all its billing done in Germany, which is expensive, and therefore X company can do it cheaper. We own the power station is another common ploy.

For the avoidance of doubt most door to door sales people know nothing about billing, so taking a meter reading allows them to calculate precisely nothing. With annual cons they might have half a chance, but more than likely they'll just see the monthly payment and pitch thiers lower.

t0rt0ise

I usually just say "no thank you" and shut the door on these guys but next time I'm going to listen and see what garbage they come out with. Some of it sounds hilarious.