Many people across the country are receiving communications through email, text messages or even personal visits from scammers who indicate that they are representatives of various utility companies that supply electricity, fuel oil, or water telling the victims that there is a federal $1,500 credit for utility bills for which the victims are eligible.  The scammers are asked to provide their Social Security numbers for identification and verification purposes, however the real purpose is to take that information and make the person a victim of identity theft.

TIPS

Never provide your Social Security number to anyone unless absolutely necessary.  Your utility providers do not need that information.  If you encounter someone in person from a utility company they should have photo identification and you should confirm by a telephone call that they indeed do work for the utility company before you give them access to your home and even then, do not supply personal information to these workers.