Ontario Energy Board warns of scammers impersonating its employees
Door-to-door sales have been banned in Ontario since March 2018, but that’s not stopping aggressive sales staff from pitching expensive long-term rental contracts for items like furnaces and air conditioners.
The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) says these scammers are now impersonating its employees.
“We know there are some bad actors out there who are using our logos to either impersonate us or try to lend credibility to their scams," Harneet Panesar, Chief Operating Officer with OEB, told CTV News Toronto.
According to Panesar, scammers are pretending to be with the OEB and are offering free government rebates that don't exist.
The pitch could either come as a phone call or a knock on the door from someone claiming you're eligible for rebates.
The OEB does not go door-to-door and does not offer rebates. Once inside, the scammer will try to get the homeowner to sign long-term rental agreements for furnaces, air conditioners, air filtration systems, water heaters, water filters, water softeners, or insulation.
"If someone knocks on your door asking for a home visit or inspection, just say no, and we know in some of these interactions they can get quite aggressive. So, if that happens, call the police," Panesar said.
OEB said scammers are also sending text messages with links promising funds, making threats of disconnecting power and seeking a large payment.
Scammers are also impersonating utility companies. Alectra Utilities tells CTV News Toronto some of its customers have lost money to the disconnection scam.
"Scammers will call our customers pretending to be us and threaten immediate disconnection of power. Alectra Utilities does not do this. We don't disconnect same day and we will always give you enough time to call us directly to try and work things out,” Ashley Trachef of Alectra Utilities said.
If you get a call from anyone claiming to be with a utility company, hang up and call your provider directly at its customer service number.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
BREAKING Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.