With the ever-increasing energy costs, there is uncertainty among many consumers. As the “Heilbronner Voice” reports, some dubious companies are now taking advantage of this to sign consumers on even worse terms. The consumers get a call from the companies and are asked to give their meter number and meter reading.
If consumers actually pass this on, the companies will initiate a change of electricity provider. Through this scam, consumers often end up with providers who charge significantly more for the electricity and thus rip off the customers.
Telephone rip-off with electricity contracts: How to protect yourself
If you get such a call, you should under no circumstances give the meter number or meter reading. If the caller pretends to be an employee of your provider, ask for a form to be sent by post to enter the meter readings. This is where most fraudulent callers will give up.
If the caller instead asks for the information under some other dubious pretext, you should hang up immediately. It is currently not possible to estimate how widespread the scam is. It will probably always appear where many people are looking for new conditions for electricity. For example, when a provider has gone bankrupt.