Senate News Update
From Senator Jane Earll
June 6, 2005

Ask For Identification Before Letting Anyone in Your Home

Modern life has brought many changes: Internet communication, cell phones, laser surgery and a long list of other developments. One thing that hasn't changed is the nagging presence of door-to-door scam artists. Among the most common are imposters posing as utility workers. They tend to target senior citizens, and their activity increases as the weather warms up. 

Here are a couple of real-life scenarios that demonstrate their tactics: 

• A woman returned home one afternoon, got out of her car, and was startled by a man standing behind her. "Excuse me. I work for the gas company and I need to get inside your property," he said.  She immediately thought the man was an impostor. He wore a "home-made" looking white badge. It was hanging on a simple cord around his neck and it only said "contractor" in black letters on a white background. It didn't have a photo or any insignia from a utility company. He was dressed in a plain white T-shirt and a navy colored vest. He kept pointing to a wand-type device he held in his hand saying it was the tool he would use to check the gas meter for leaks. If she would just unlock her back gate, he could get into her yard and do his job.
  
  Growing suspicious, she refused. She told the man she needed to go into the house and call the gas company. He turned out to be an imposter.
   
• Two men showed up at a woman's house and said they had an order to switch her cable service from basic to digital cable. She let them in assuming they were going to make adjustments, even though she hadn't called her cable provider to upgrade her service. After the pair entered the house, one asked the woman whether there was a second cable box in the house. The woman took him to a second television set in another room. One of the men distracted her while the other searched for money and other valuables. After they had left, the woman discovered her main cable box was missing.

Scam artists exploit your trust and use fast talk and persuasion to get through your front door and around your valuables. But armed with a little foresight and clear thinking, you can beat them at their game. 

According to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC), consumers can protect themselves by: 

• Asking to see identification before allowing a stranger inside.
• Calling the company to verify work and employee identities if there is any doubt.
• Looking for clearly marked service vehicles.
• Reporting any suspicious activity to the police and their utility companies.

The PUC works with utility companies to determine the most effective way to send the message to their customers.  Whether it is through special inserts along with your monthly bill, media announcements, or other means, utility companies have a major role in raising public awareness about the dangers. 

The last thing we want is for these scammers to frighten us into never opening our door. In reality, most of the people who knock on your door will be neighbors extending a hand of friendship or children raising funds for a school program.  Fast-talking scam artists have been around for years. And the best way to beat them has always been to take the initiative and ask a few, good questions.

As always, if you have any questions on this or any other state government matter, please do not hesitate to contact my office directly at (814) 453-2515.