UPDATE: Door-to-door solicitors work for gas company, police still advise residents to guard their personal info
By Trail Champion staff
Two men who have been going door-to-door asking to see residents’ Fortis bills are, indeed, working for a gas company – Access Gas, to be specific.
“We received several calls from members of the public identifying the two males approaching people at their residents in the Trail area and requesting to personal information,” said RCMP top cop Mike Wicentowich. “The two males are working for Access Gas Services and are asking to see FortisBC billing information of local residents.
“Typically, most companies will notify the Trail and Greater District RCMP Detachment about operating in this manner in the area; however, this company did not take that measure in this case.
“The Trail and Greater District RCMP Detachment still recommend that you guard your personal information unless you are certain you want to share it and in agreement with the purpose when sharing it.”
FortisBC has added a page to its website for customers dealing with door-to-door independent energy salespeople.
https://www.fortisbc.com/services/natural-gas-services/customer-choice-buying-from-natural-gas-marketers/when-a-natural-gas-salesperson-knocks-on-your-door
Previous coverage:
Police are warning Trail residents of a potential door-to-door scam intended to illicitly solicit people’s private and financial information.
“On March 10, at 7:45 p.m., Trail and Greater District Detachment received a report that two Indo-Canadian males, around 30 years old, wearing high visibility vests and identification tag,s were walking around the 1000 block of Regan Road, in Trail, and claiming to be employees from FortisBC,” said RCMP Sgt. Mike Wicentowich. “The males approached residents at the homes and were asking for personal billing information.
“FortisBC confirmed with the RCMP that they do not send their employees to canvass in neighbourhoods to collect billing information or payments. These two males are believed to be fraudulently obtaining person information for unknown purposes. The Trail and Greater District RCMP Detachment are asking the public to report any such future similar occurrences to the RCMP immediately.”
Wicentowich said this sort of information can be used for a variety of illegal purposes – to obtain credit cards or lines of credit, to purchase vehicles, etc.
“Really, today, in the wireless world, that information can be used anywhere in the world, not necessarily in this geographical area.”
The Trail and Greater District RCMP Detachment can be contacted directly at 250-364-2566.
