An online tool helps Duke Energy customers protect themselves from scammers
To combat the growing sophistication of scammers targeting its customers, Duke Energy created an online scam reporting tool.
Launched in March 2023, Duke Energy’s Scam Reporting Tool provides step-by-step reporting instructions for customers who believe they’ve been contacted by a scammer—whether online, by telephone or in person. Information collected by the tool includes the type of scam and any contact information that the customer might have received from the scammer. The information is later used to educate other customers about these scams and how to avoid them.
Duke Energy has been tracking reported scam attempts since 2015 and, along with subsidiary Piedmont Natural Gas, participates in National Utility Scam Awareness Day in November. Both utilities also post scam and fraud information on their individual websites.
The threat posed by scammers is very real. By November 2023, Duke Energy had already received more than 77,000 reports of scam attempts. Victims in 2022 reported losing an average of $327 in utility scams.
According to Lesley Quick, vice president of customer technology, advocacy, regulatory and business support at Duke Energy, the online scam reporting tool has allowed the utility to be more proactive in communicating to its customers and the public about potential scams. The tool also helps make communication regarding the scams more accurate. Because the company is reacting to the latest scam attempts, customers are better prepared to protect themselves from those who might try to take advantage of them.
Since the tool went online, Duke Energy has discovered that customers have been experiencing a larger than anticipated number of in-person scam attempts, including those involving individuals going door to door selling “home energy tests” or “HVAC inspections.”
“Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas offer these or similar services, but they must be requested by the customer; we don’t solicit them door to door,” Quick told American Gas. “So, that is valuable information that can be used when creating future communications and awareness campaigns.”
Quick said the company continues to monitor how customers are using the tool so it can make adjustments that might benefit customers or encourage its use.
Piedmont Natural Gas is expected to launch an online scam prevention tool of its own later this year.