Scammers Target Ohioans Using Energy Tax Credit Promise

CLEVELAND — Con artists are using an impending federal tax credit on energy bills to steal banking and personal information from Ohioans. The federal tax credit will begin automatically starting April 2020. No one will need to share personal information to receive the credit, Dominion Energy said.

On Dec. 4, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) approved a settlement between Dominion Energy, the Ohio Consumers' Counsel and PUCO. The deal passed through a $50.9 million credit for customers over a 12-month period.

Less than a week after the settlement's announcement, scammers have begun targeting Ohioans to fish for bank accounts, social security numbers and other personal information. Dominion Energy said no member of their staff, and no state officials or utility officials, will ever contact customers over the phone to ask for financial information, regardless of the circumstances.

Dominion officials said customers should do the following if they receive a scam phone call:

• Report the call to Dominion Energy and police. Never call a number provided by scammers.
• Don't provide any information about yourself, including, and most importantly, your social security number, bank account or credit and debit card numbers.
• Hang up.