EDF Energy warns customers of bogus doorstep prepayment salesmen
April 5, 2011 at 12:18 pm
Individuals posing as authorised doorstep sellers are offering EDF Energy users discounted prepayment credit (sometimes at half the price). The unauthorised salesmen are practising criminal activity, and, in fact, involving EDF Energy customers in that activity with each unit of illegal credit sold.
To top-up with electricity credit, EDF Energy customers with a prepayment meter at their home insert a special plastic key into it, adding credit as and when they need to. They can buy the credit at newsagents, small supermarkets, and post offices displaying the PayPoint sign.
EDF Energy has acted quickly to warn customers of the bogus salesmen’s fraudulent activity, and is doing everything it can to combat it; however, many customers using the company’s prepayment meter scheme have already fallen for the scam, and so are effectively paying twice for their electricity.
Although it is not yet clear how long the tricksters have been in operation, the current economic climate is undoubtedly providing them with the perfect opportunity to take advantage of customers who would see a 50% saving on heating their homes as a godsend.
Heavy snow across the UK during the recent harsh winter also meant that many EDF Energy customers were unable to leave their homes at times to buy credit for their prepayment meter from PayPoint outlets. Discounted prepayment credit from doorstep salesmen would have seemed like a wonderfully convenient option, therefore.
Customers topping up their energy supply in this way are easily identifiable by EDF Energy, and should be aware that they will still be liable for the full credit value, once traced. Those who fear they may have bought illegal credit can call EDF Energy free on 0800 096 5040.
