The 3 most common National Grid scam patterns
Pattern 1
Fake disconnection call (most common)
A caller claiming to be from National Grid says your account is past due, and service will be cut in 30 minutes unless you pay immediately via prepaid debit card (Green Dot, MoneyPak, gift cards). The caller ID often shows a spoofed National Grid number.
Why it can't be real:
- ·National Grid does not accept prepaid debit cards or gift cards;
- ·The PSC requires a written final notice mailed at least 15 days before any shut-off;
- ·Shut-offs only happen Mon-Thu between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on a business day.
Pattern 2
Door-to-door "inspection" or "meter check"
A stranger in branded clothing knocks claiming to need a gas-appliance check, carbon-monoxide test, or meter inspection. They ask to see a recent bill or to enter the home. Sometimes an accomplice slips in while the homeowner is distracted.
Why it can't be real:
- ·National Grid does not sell or perform door-to-door home-energy services;
- ·Genuine National Grid field staff carry photo ID and arrive in marked vehicles for an announced reason (outage repair, mandated inspection scheduled by you).
Pattern 3
Slamming (unauthorised ESCO switch)
A door-to-door ESCO agent asks to see your bill "to verify your discount" or "to check if you are on the cheaper rate". A week later, the supply line on your National Grid bill shows a different ESCO you never agreed to. This is "slamming" and it is illegal.
What to do:
- ·Call National Grid to revert to default supply or your previous ESCO;
- ·File a complaint with the NY PSC: dps.ny.gov;
- ·The April 2026 PSC ESCO settlement strengthened the consumer's right to reverse an unauthorised switch.
How to verify a real National Grid contact in 60 seconds
- ·Hang up and call back on the number printed on your last bill or on this page. Never trust the caller ID.
- ·Ask for the last 5 digits of your account number. A genuine National Grid agent has them; a scammer rarely does.
- ·Door-to-door: keep the chain on, ask for photo ID through the gap, and call National Grid yourself to confirm before opening. A genuine field worker will wait.
- ·Never share Social Security number, full account number, bank login, or card details with anyone who initiated the contact.
The real National Grid disconnection process
Knowing how a real shut-off unfolds is the best inoculation against the fake-disconnection scam. The PSC sets these rules, and National Grid must follow them:
- ·15-day written final notice, mailed or hand-delivered, with PSC-prescribed language;
- ·Final notice cannot be sent until at least 20 days after the original payment due date;
- ·Actual disconnection only Monday to Thursday, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., never on a public holiday;
- ·No residential shut-offs during the two-week window around Christmas and New Year's Day;
- ·Cold-weather rule restricts winter shut-offs (Nov 1 to Apr 15) for households at risk;
- ·Even at final-notice stage, you can still pay by check, card, or set a deferred payment plan.
If a "National Grid" caller demands payment via gift card or threatens shut-off "this afternoon", it is by definition a scam.
What National Grid does and does not accept as payment
Accepted
- ·Cash at authorized payment centers;
- ·Check or money order by mail (P.O. Box 11742, Newark, NJ 07101-4742);
- ·Bank-account debit via online account or the regional 24/7 automated line;
- ·Credit or debit card via Western Union SpeedPay at 1-888-849-4310, with a service fee.
Never accepted
- ·Prepaid debit cards (Green Dot, MoneyPak);
- ·Gift cards of any kind;
- ·Cryptocurrency;
- ·Wire transfer to an individual.
How to file a complaint with the NY PSC
- 1.Document everything: date, time, caller-ID number, name given, exact wording. If door-to-door, write down clothing, vehicle, license plate.
- 2.Call National Grid first to flag the incident on your account: 1-800-642-4272.
- 3.If money was actually lost, call your local police non-emergency line.
- 4.File the PSC complaint online at dps.ny.gov or call the PSC hotline at 1-800-342-3377.
Frequently asked questions
No. Caller ID is trivial to spoof. The only verification that works is hanging up and calling the official number back from your bill.
Call National Grid immediately to flag the account. The account number alone cannot drain your bank, but it can be used in a slamming attempt to switch your ESCO. Also file a PSC complaint.
Not always. Some legitimate ESCOs use door-to-door sales. But the technique is high-pressure and complaint-heavy, and an "agent" who asks to see your bill or pressures a same-day signature is a red flag. Take the materials, do not sign, and compare offers online.
Only for a specific scheduled job: outage repair, meter exchange, gas-line work. Field staff arrive in marked vehicles, carry photo ID and do not request payment.
1-800-342-3377, or file online at dps.ny.gov.
More U.S. states with energy choice
Same playbook, different utility. Pick another deregulated state to compare utilities, suppliers and switching rules.
