London Hydro is issuing a warning to customers after several reports of attempted fraud.
Company officials say fraudsters are showing up in person at local businesses and demanding payment on an overdue account, threatening to shut off the hydro supply to the building.
"They are telling people that they either need a cash payment or a prepaid credit card, which is not something we take and not how we collect. They then give a 1-800 number, which we do not have," says London Hydro Spokesperson Nancy Hutton. "It pops up every once in a while in London, it seems to be very active right now. We've gotten a lot of calls. They seem to be targeting businesses such as restaurants."
Hutton says while the London Hydro collections department does make site visits, a representative will also have identification, a copy of the bill and work out a payment option with the customer.
Anyone who has encountered the imposters is asked to report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
