Surrey- The BC RCMP is alerting BC Hydro customers about a new scam in which fraudsters are impersonating the utility company to steal personal information. Over the past weeks, more than a hundred reports have been filed across the province regarding fake BC Hydro customer support numbers being promoted through paid online advertisements.
These deceptive ads, posing as BC Hydro, direct customers to call a fraudulent number to set up new electricity services or reconnect existing ones. While the ads use BC Hydro’s name, the URLs are incorrect, and the fake sites often appear through search engine results. When customers call the phony number, scammers ask a series of questions mimicking those used by BC Hydro to verify customer identity, putting personal information at risk.
The RCMP is actively investigating the scam and urges anyone who has fallen victim to report the incident to their local police. Authorities are working with BC Hydro to remove these fraudulent websites from search engines, but caution the public to remain vigilant when navigating online.
To help customers avoid falling prey to scams, BC Hydro emphasizes the following:
– BC Hydro does not collect credit card or bank account information over the phone, email, or text.
– If an account is overdue, BC Hydro will issue several notices by mail and may use an auto dialer to remind customers to make a payment. Account status can be checked anytime at bchydro.com.
– The official BC Hydro customer service number is 1 800 BCHYDRO. Any other number claiming to be BC Hydro should be treated with caution.
BC Hydro and the RCMP urge the public not to click on suspicious links and to report any fraudulent websites to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.