Scam Alert: Scammers are calling Washington, D.C., residents and trying to get into their homes. Be on the lookout for any suspicious calls!
The D.C. Water and Sewer Authority released a warning on their website last Wednesday about a new scam. According to D.C. Water, scammers are calling District residents pretending to represent the company. They will then try and get personal information from the person or send a technician to the home.
While D.C. Water has only received two reports about the scam thus far, they believe that there are likely more people who have received calls. One of the people even had a fake technician come to their house claiming they were checking for high water use.
Follow these tips from D.C. Water to protect yourself from a potential scam:
- Please ask for identification from anyone arriving at your home claiming to be from D.C. Water. Here is what their uniform should look like, as well:
Courtesy of DC Water
- D.C. Water does not dispatch a technician to investigate high water usage or test water quality without the customer requesting the service.
- While D.C. Water does accept payments over the phone and the internet, we never make calls asking for any financial information.
- If you want to pay your bill over the internet or over the phone, please only do so when you initiate the transaction.
- If you get a call or email asking for bank information, it is probably a scam, so hang up and please call (202) 354-3600 to report it to D.C. Water.
- If someone claiming to be from D.C. Water shows up at your door asking for access, please do not allow them in, and call (202) 354-3600 to report it. D.C. Water does have a meter replacement project underway -- you may call (202) 612-3473 to see if the project team is in your neighborhood.
What do you think? Have you received a suspicious call? Let us know in the comments below!
