Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
October 28, 2025
UGI Warns of Sophisticated Utility Scam Targeting Customers
TLDR
- UGI's awareness campaign helps customers avoid financial losses by recognizing scam tactics that demand fraudulent payments for utility services.
- Scammers create fake online ads with fraudulent phone numbers that impersonate utility companies to extract personal information and demand unusual payment methods.
- UGI's public education efforts protect vulnerable customers from financial harm and strengthen community trust in essential utility services.
- Scammers use search engine ads posing as utility companies to trick customers into paying for fake service issues and gas leak investigations.
Impact - Why it Matters
This news matters because utility scams represent a growing threat that can financially devastate vulnerable households, particularly affecting elderly and low-income customers who may be less familiar with digital security practices. These sophisticated scams exploit the essential nature of utility services, creating urgency around basic needs like heating and electricity that people cannot afford to lose. The financial impact can be significant for victims who may lose hundreds or thousands of dollars, while the emotional toll includes stress, embarrassment, and loss of trust in legitimate service providers. As scammers become more technologically advanced, this issue affects communities nationwide and highlights the importance of digital literacy and consumer protection awareness in an increasingly online world.
Summary
UGI Utilities, Inc., a natural gas and electric utility serving over 760,000 customers, is intensifying efforts to combat sophisticated scammers who are aggressively targeting utility customers through fraudulent online advertisements. These scammers create deceptive ads containing fake phone numbers and website addresses that appear legitimate but instead connect victims directly to criminals. The scammers employ high-pressure tactics, posing as utility representatives from whatever company the customer is trying to reach, and have successfully tricked multiple UGI customers into paying for service-related issues that typically involve no charges, including falsely claiming fees are required to investigate potential gas leaks.
The scam operation specifically targets customers searching online for phrases like "utility phone number" or "how to pay my utility bill," where sponsored ads can lead unsuspecting victims to fraudulent contact information. Once connected, scammers attempt to confirm account details by requesting personal information including names, phone numbers, and email addresses before demanding payment through unusual methods. UGI is actively collaborating with law enforcement departments to raise awareness about these scams and hopes police agencies will also alert the public. Despite these protective measures, customers continue falling victim to these sophisticated schemes and losing money.
UGI emphasizes that customers should only use the official UGI phone number 800-276-2722 and the legitimate UGI.com website for all account, service, and billing matters. The company's Public Relations Manager, John Mason, is available for interviews to further explain the scams and protection strategies. The key defense against these fraudulent activities is for customers to memorize and use only their utility's verified contact information rather than relying on search engine results that may display scam advertisements.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by Reportable. Read the original source here, UGI Warns of Sophisticated Utility Scam Targeting Customers
