Tag Archives: disconnection

National Consumer Protection Week Feature: Preparing for Home Heating Deliveries in Winter

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As Vermonters, we are no strangers to cold temperatures and snow-filled winters. Winter can be long and cold, with temperatures ranging from single digits to below zero. This is why home heating is essential, especially during the colder months of the year. Currently, we are in the middle of heating season, which occurs every year from November 1st to April 15th. Heating season is one of the busiest times of year for heating fuel providers.

Whether it be the snow causing delays on the road or preventing trucks from safely accessing your tank to tight schedules for deliveries, here are some tips that could potentially avoid delays in your delivery of heating fuel:

Making a Plowing Plan

Be aware of upcoming weather events that may affect your expected delivery. If you are expecting a delivery during a snowstorm or after snowfall, make sure your driveway is adequately plowed and sanded so the truck can safely drive up to your tank. Live on a private drive? Call your provider to make a plan to ensure the delivery can occur as scheduled.

Calling Ahead

Keep an eye on your tank gauge during the colder months, regardless of your delivery status. For example, if you are on will call, it is generally recommended to call your provider while your tank is between 40-30% full. However, each provider may have their own requirement, so check with your provider to see when a delivery should be scheduled.

Having a tank at 10% can make you vulnerable to running out of heating fuel, especially during heating season when your providers’ delivery schedule can quickly fill up. Waiting to schedule a delivery may result in an emergency delivery fee or special trip charge to avoid a no heat situation.

Shopping Around

If you own your tank and do not have a contract with a specific provider, you may be able to call other providers. For example, No. 2 fuel gives you the ability to contact other providers in your area if your usual provider cannot schedule you. On the other hand, propane can be different. If you are looking to switch providers, this may require a tank swap. Vermont has specific protections for propane customers when requesting termination of service from your provider. Call CAP for more information.

Still having trouble with a delivery? Call CAP at (800) 649-2424 or email us at AGO.CAP@vermont.gov.

If you or someone you know is having trouble affording heat this winter, there are programs in Vermont that may be able to help. Please see our past Staying Warm This Winter post for additional information.

The Vermont Attorney General’s Office enforces a Consumer Protection Rule (CP 111) specific to the regulation of propane. Propane consumers are entitled to, among other rights: the disclosure of fees before service begins, notice of changes to fees or new fees, notice prior to a change in credit status, and certain protections for disconnections. 

Have questions about the Consumer Protection Rule (CP) 111? Call CAP at (800) 649-2424.

CAP provides a letter mediation service for consumer issues facing Vermont residents. If you have experienced an issue with your home heating provider, contact the Consumer Assistance Program.

Beware of the Electricity Cut Off Scam

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By Crystal Baldwin and Sara Spencer

“Your electricity will be shut off, if you don’t pay.” 

Imagine receiving this message in the middle of your work day while relying on electricity to serve your customers.  Or, maybe the message comes into your home while every single person is using an electronic device for work or school.  The message can be quite alarming, and can cause a person to react on the spot to resolve the perceived problem.  Resist the urge to respond—hang up the phone instead.  

These calls are from scammers claiming to be your utility provider.  They demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, credit/debit cards, peer-to-peer payment, and sometimes even cash.  If you don’t pay right away, they threaten that your electricity will be turned off.  

Utility Disconnection Scam Alert graphic. Hang up the phone. Call your utility company directly. Legitimate companies will not demand payment by gift card or wire transfer. Contact CAP if you've been targeted at (800) 649-2424.

If you are contacted by one of these scams: 

  1. Hang up! Do not engage with the scammer and do not call them back.  
  1. Do not provide any personal information 
  1. If you are concerned about disconnection, call your utility provider. 

Help us stop these scams by sharing this information with those you care about.  Get notified about the latest scams: Sign up for VT Scam Alert System alerts.      

Call the Consumer Assistance Program at 800-649-2424 if you have questions, concerns, or need help determining if you have been a victim of a scam. 

When you receive one of these jarring calls, here is what you can do:

Take steps to verify by remembering SLOW: 

S – Slow down.  The scammers urge you to act urgently. Don’t.

L – Log the call.  For your assurance, write down the phone number of the caller and hang up.

O – One call. Make a verification call to the business, using a number you know and trust.

W – Who cares? Call another person in your life who cares about you. Know that you can call CAP at 1-800-649-2424.  We care and can help identify scams.

Before this scam happens to you, you can take steps now to create a scam action plan.  Keep the SLOW reminder near your phone. Act now to prevent future loss.

VT Scam Alert System is Live

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Last week our office sent out the first scam alert through the VT Alert System to warn Vermonters about an active utility disconnection phone scam (listen to the alert here).

This exciting program started three weeks ago when the Attorney General’s Office partnered with Vermont Emergency Management to use their existing “VT Alert” emergency notification system. The system lets you get instant alerts by email, text message, or a phone message. We’ll be using this system to alert Vermonters about scams going around the state. You must sign up to get these alerts.  So far, 677 people have signed up through our website and over 3100 signed up through the VT Alert portal!

We don’t want to send out too many alerts, so we’ll only use the system to let you know about scams that are new, have changed, or are happening most often. We also might send you alerts about scams that are happening in your town or county specifically.

Signing up is free and easy. Call us at 802-656-3183 or 1-800-649-2424 (toll-free from a VT phone). You can also visit our website consumer.vermont.gov and click on “Sign Up for Scam Alerts!”  You can choose to get alerts by text message, email, or a prerecorded telephone message from Attorney General Donovan.

We want to help you stay informed and stay ahead of scammers trying to defraud Vermonters.  Once you sign up for the Scam Alert System, we encourage you to spread the word by sharing the alert message with your friends, family, neighbors, and communities.  Together we can get informed, spread the word, and stop the scams.

Example of an email alert:

VT Alert Scam Alert Example

Our office would like to extend a special thank you to our partner at the Vermont Department of Pubic Safety, Emergency Management System–and in particular Director Erica Bornemann, Public Information Officer Mark Bosma, and Administrator Randy Bronson.

VT Alert Logo

 

 

 

Contributing Writer: Crystal Baldwin