$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
utility bill assistance scam
Fraudulent calls and messages offer fake utility bill assistance programs, collecting personal data and upfront fees from people struggling to pay their energy or water bills.
“debt scam”
↑ 83%Key indicators
Usually targetsLow-income households
Often hitsRetirees and seniors
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$960
median reported loss
Typical range$60 – $6.0K
Recovery rate~15%
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers call or text people offering enrollment in fake utility assistance programs, often targeting areas with recent rate increases.
2
They request utility account numbers, SSN, and enrollment fees, claiming the assistance will cover several months of bills.
3
Victims lose their fees and the scammers may use utility account access to redirect billing or steal personal information.
What to do first
Contact your utility company directly or apply for LIHEAP through your state's official program at liheapch.acf.hhs.gov.
Related terms
fake LIHEAP scamutility relief phishingFinancial relief scamsPhoneRisingLow-income householdsSeniorsDisabled individualsRetirees and seniorsImmigrants and visa holdersUnited StatesCanadaUnited Kingdomfake LIHEAP scamutility relief phishing
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Emily, 35, a low-income households, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate financial relief scams situation while using Phone. Scammers call or text people offering enrollment in fake utility assistance programs, often targeting areas with recent rate increases.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: They request utility account numbers, SSN, and enrollment fees, claiming the assistance will cover several months of bills.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: Victims lose their fees and the scammers may use utility account access to redirect billing or steal personal information.
The outcome
Emily realized something was wrong when caller claims you qualify for utility assistance but need to pay a fee to enroll. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Contact your utility company directly or apply for LIHEAP through your state's official program at liheapch.acf.hhs.gov. Emily's experience shows why caller claims you qualify for utility assistance but need to pay a fee to enroll and they request your utility account number and social security number are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Caller claims you qualify for utility assistance but need to pay a fee to enroll
- They request your utility account number and Social Security number
- The program name does not match your state's official LIHEAP or utility assistance programs
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓Contact your utility company directly or apply for LIHEAP through your state's official program at liheapch.acf.hhs.gov.
- ✓Never share your utility account number or SSN with unsolicited callers.
- ✓Report fake utility assistance offers to the FTC and your state public utilities commission.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
- ✓Save the full chat or call log before blocking the sender so the reporting path still has the original context.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- The National Energy Assistance Directors Association warned in 2024 about a rise in scams impersonating LIHEAP and state utility assistance programs as energy costs increased.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓Tell close contacts if a phone or text scam used your identity, so scammers cannot reuse the same story against people around you.
- ✓Contact your utility company directly or apply for LIHEAP through your state's official program at liheapch.acf.hhs.gov.
- ✓Never share your utility account number or SSN with unsolicited callers.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
The National Energy Assistance Directors Association warned in 2024 about a rise in scams impersonating LIHEAP and state utility assistance programs as energy costs increased.
National Energy Assistance Directors Association 2024
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Low-income households, Seniors, Disabled individuals
Geographic concentration
United States, Canada, United Kingdom
Primary channel
Phone — Financial relief scams
Why this group is vulnerable
Low-income households are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The growing number of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- The National Energy Assistance Directors Association warned in 2024 about a rise in scams impersonating LIHEAP and state utility assistance programs as energy costs increased.
Source notes
- National Energy Assistance Directors Association 2024
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about utility bill assistance scam
How does the utility bill assistance scam work?+
Scammers call or text people offering enrollment in fake utility assistance programs, often targeting areas with recent rate increases. They request utility account numbers, SSN, and enrollment fees, claiming the assistance will cover several months of bills. Victims lose their fees and the scammers may use utility account access to redirect billing or steal personal information.
What are the warning signs of utility bill assistance scam?+
Caller claims you qualify for utility assistance but need to pay a fee to enroll They request your utility account number and Social Security number The program name does not match your state's official LIHEAP or utility assistance programs
What should I do if I encounter utility bill assistance scam?+
Contact your utility company directly or apply for LIHEAP through your state's official program at liheapch.acf.hhs.gov. Never share your utility account number or SSN with unsolicited callers. Report fake utility assistance offers to the FTC and your state public utilities commission.
Who is most at risk for utility bill assistance scam?+
This scam primarily targets Low-income households, Seniors, Disabled individuals. It is most commonly reported in United States, Canada, United Kingdom and typically appears on Phone.
Is utility bill assistance scam on the rise?+
utility bill assistance scam is currently on the rise with growing reports. It has been reported across US, CA, UK. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.