You receive an unexpected visit, call, text, or email from someone claiming to be your power or water company.

They might offer a free energy audit or help signing up for government programs to reduce energy bills.

Or they could threaten to cut off service unless you pay an overdue bill or maintenance cost immediately.

They may even claim you’ve overpaid and ask for your bank or credit card information to issue a “refund.”

Utility impostors aim to convince you to make a payment to them or supply personal or financial data that they can use to steal or sell your identity. They may open new accounts and run up charges in your name.

Legitimate utility companies don’t request personal information by email or phone and provide advance warning before disconnecting services.

If anyone ever tells you to pay a bill by purchasing gift cards and sharing the numbers off the back, or to go to a bitcoin ATM to send payment that way, it is a scam.

It is a sad state of affairs to say not to answer your door when someone unexpectedly knocks and not to trust email messages, text messages, or phone calls, but this is the world we are in.

If a message by any channel immediately puts you into a heightened emotional state — say, fear or panic — let that be your sign to disengage.

Contact your utility company at a number you know to be correct from a paper bill (or log in to their website or app if that’s an option). Don’t do a web search; the results often contain ads bought by criminals to direct customer service calls to them.

If you or a loved one has experienced a utility scam, report it to your actual utility company and to law enforcement. You can also share the information with the Federal Trade Commission online or by calling 87‍7-3‍82-43‍57.