Tips To Avoid Water Meter Reading Scams

Scams and thievery are very common in our modern world. Some immoral people prefer to steal from others instead of working to earn their fair share. One of the most disturbing scams involves utility companies. The utility companies are not actually involved in this scam but some thieving folks use these companies to steal from people. These scammers arrive on your doorstep and pretend to be utility workers. They can pretend to work for your local electrical, water, or cable company. You will then have to admit them into your house so that they can read your water or electrical meter or check your cable network. Once inside the house, these marauders can do anything. They can harm you or your family. They can also steal valuables like money and jewelry while you are not looking. Utility companies are always warning people against trusting anyone who wanders into their homes and requests admission to inspect the meters. Here are a few tips to avoid water or electrical meter reading scams.

Check The Company Logo

All utility companies have logos. These companies always ensure that their workers have the proper uniforms imprinted with their official logos on them. They do not allow their workers to go on meter reading missions without the proper uniform bearing their official logos. That is why you should always check the company logo on the front or the back of the shirt or uniform worn by the utility worker. But some scammers have even gone a step further and copied these logos. They have designed their own uniforms bearing these logos and this can be very confusing. These professional scammers can show up on your doorstep bearing the exact logo of your utility company. That is why you should always consider all the four tips listed here to ensure that you do not fall prey to these meter reading scammers.

Check The Identification Badge

In addition to checking the uniform of the worker for the official logo of your utility company, you should also scrutinize the badge very carefully. All utility workers are issued with official badges to indicate their rank and to confirm the fact that they work for that particular utility company. Like every other identification card, these badges are produced whenever necessary. The utility worker should produce this badge when he visits you home. You should take time to inspect the badge carefully to ensure that it belongs to that particular utility worker and also that the badge is authentic. Of course people can forge these badges nowadays. That is why we have already advised you to use all the tips discussed in this article.

Know Your Plumbing System

The first thing that you should do when you buy a house or rent a commercial building is to acquaint yourself with the plumbing system. If you are a homeowner, you can call a residential plumber to show you around the plumbing system. If you are a business owner, you can seek the assistance of a Cincinnati commercial plumbing company to teach you everything in your plumbing system. One of the main reasons of doing this is to learn where the water meter is. If it’s situated outdoors, then you should not let anyone enter your house to read the water meter.

Install A Smart Water Meter

A smart water meter will keep scammers out of your home. If you install a smart water meter, the utility company will monitor your water consumption remotely and bill you electronically. They will be no scammers visiting your home.