There are a lot of things we take for granted, like electricity, natural gas and water services. Nothing gets our attention more than someone calling from a utility, saying they are going to cut off services for unpaid bills. Beware, however, that this is yet another growing breed of scams, from con artists impersonating utility company employees.

The contact might come from someone appearing at your front door who looks official, maybe even wearing a jacket and hat adorned with the company name and logo.

Or someone calls you, telling you your bills haven’t been paid, and your utility service is scheduled for cut-off, unless you pay immediately.

These scams generate fear and uncertainty because, after all, no one wants to be left in the cold or dark in the middle of winter because of an unpaid bill.

Like many other scams, you are told to make a quick payment by wiring money through organizations like Western Union, or by buying a gift card and reading off the numbers and codes from the back of the card.

Fraudsters also might instruct you to go to a cryptocurrency machine, like Bitcoin, to get the funds to avoid termination of utility service.

If you are contacted by anyone who shows up at your door, or by phone, email, text or social media, reporting that your services are going to be shut off, take a minute to gather your wits and reach out directly to the utility in question.

It is important to use a phone number that you have found yourself and not one that has been provided for you. Scammers are clever enough to think ahead, and will send you to send payment through rigged phone numbers or websites that look official, but are set up only to steal your money.

Utility scammers who go door-to-door usually work in pairs. One person will keep you busy by asking to see a copy of a recent bill, while the other crook moves through your home to steal anything of value. These folks are brazen.

If one of these duets suddenly appears on your doorstep claiming to be from the water, power or gas company, close the door and call the police.

Another version of the utility scam is an unannounced visit from someone saying they are there to replace a faulty service meter.

Don’t fall for this. Tell them to get off your property. If a service visit is necessary to replace your meter, it is usually because you have contacted the company to report an issue or problem. Genuine utility workers do not just show up to replace meters.

Utility scams are more common during the colder months of the year and we still have another month or two of chilly weather, so be on your guard. Springtime is just around the corner, though, and we can all trade our salt and snow shovels for a little spring gardening, and dusting off the fertilizer spreader.

Take care, and stay alert.

Protect yourself

Dave Long answers questions during a series of monthly talks on the latest scams, why scammers target seniors and how to protect personal information at 1 p.m. the fourth Thursday of every month at the Poland Township Government Center, 3339 Dobbins Road, Poland. The next talk will be March 22.

If you have a question on a possible scam, talk to a family member or call your local police department. Seniors can also call their county Senior Services Unit for more information about scams. In Mahoning County, call Bob Schaeffer at 330-480-5078. In Trumbull County, call Don Hyde at 330-675-7096.

Dave Long of Poland, a Youngstown State University graduate, is a retired public affairs officer with U.S. Customs and Border Protection who later worked as an Elder Scam Prevention Outreach specialist in Rochester, N.Y., before moving back to the Mahoning Valley.