All kinds of "tricks"

When calling the hotlines of customer care centers in Vietnam Electricity recently, many people reported having strange phone numbers and impersonating electricity employees to defraud them. Subjects often inform customers that they owe money or have not paid their electricity bills. If they do not pay quickly, the electricity will be cut off. In addition, subjects suggest that people and customers access fake links and apps. Many people have had their bank accounts hijacked when accessing these "phony" websites and apps.

Although the authorities and the press have repeatedly warned about these forms of fraud, some "light and gullible" customers are still scammed by these people.

Even recently, there’s a document forging the brand and seal of Vietnam Electricity (EVN) to instruct customers how to "transfer electricity bills"; or impersonate the Group and its member units to set up websites calling for capital contributions for energy projects, etc. The behavior of these subjects endangers society, directly harming people's property ownership rights and affecting the reputation of Vietnam Electricity.

When receiving call suspected of impersonating power sector employee, electricity customers should call EVN's customer care call centers for advice and support. Photo source: EVNHANOI.

Increasing vigilance

From a legal perspective, Nguyen Cuong and Associates Law Office recommend that electricity customers receive information from official channels announced by the power sector; do not pay electricity bills to strangers or transfer money to accounts without verifying information. Customers who have been defrauded by bad guys need to quickly submit a criminal complaint to the police to ask for assistance in resolving and recovering misappropriated assets.

In order to prevent the above phenomenon of forgery, EVN also recommends that customers absolutely not follow instructions of counterfeiters or fake documents, and not let counterfeiters steal personal information and profiteering, causing damage to customers and affecting the reputation of Vietnam Electricity.

EVN affirms that all current electricity bill collection transactions are carried out through official channels of Power Corporations, absolutely no personal accounts are used to collect money. Electricity employees, when communicating with customers, always strictly comply with customer care regulations.

Customers should choose safe electricity payment channels such as Via bank (automatic payment, Internet banking, or Mobile banking); e-wallets, and online payment gateways (such as Viettel Money, VNPT Money, Vnpay, Momo...).

If receiving a call suspected of being fraudulent, customers should immediately contact the Customer Care Hotline (by region) to verify information and receive timely support.

Translator: Vân Ly