Linky electricity meters have often been involved in scams. Indeed, the holders of these meters are sometimes the targets of rogues who, to achieve their ends, pass themselves off as technicians. Who are these scammers? How do they proceed? Discover the answers through this article. We also explain what you need to do to avoid being scammed.
The way scammers operate
The scammers are more and more numerous, and they proceed from various manners. Among the most effective scams is the one targeting Linky meter owners. Most often, criminals pretend to be fake technicians to trick their victims.
Those who have a Linky meter in their possession should exercise caution. Scammers who pretend to be fake technicians from the Linky company have already claimed many victims before. They encourage individuals to let them into their homes to supposedly update the electricity meter. Once this is done, they just have to execute their maneuver.
The people behind this scam are usually either canvassers or burglars. Indeed, it sometimes happens that subcontractors of energy suppliers pass themselves off as bogus technicians. Thereby, they make the poor victims sign documents which are in fact an electricity or gas contract from another competing supplier. When they manage to break into a private individual, these subcontractors also retrieve the PDL numbers from the invoices or from the meter.
When they are not subcontractors of suppliers, they are real burglars pretending to be fake technicians. Their purpose in doing this is to scout. When they manage to break into their victim’s home, they spot the location of the valuables. Then, they come back later to rob with more efficiency, because they have already tested the waters.
Faced with his unscrupulous margoulins, it is therefore recommended to be vigilant. Before allowing a stranger into your home, you need to make sure they are who they say they are. This is why you should always check the professional card and never leave the person alone in a room.
Linky counter: a variant of the scam
To achieve his ends, the scammer persuades his victim to leave him walk in to supposedly perform an update. But what you need to know is that the Linky electricity meter does not need to be updated manually since it is connected. Indeed, if there must be a software intervention, the Enedis distributor is quite capable of carrying it out remotely.
No need to send technicians. This is also the case for the readings of consumption. They are automatic with this type of counter. Moreover, there is another variant of this scam that is just as effective. To bribe their victim, the canvassers offer him Linky insurance at an incredibly low cost. However, the Enedis distributor does not charge for such insurance.
Here once more, the goal of the scammers is to get a contract signed for a subscription with a competing provider. It is for this reason that on its page, Enedis reminds individuals that it does not carry out any commercial canvassing. He thus invites them to never divulge personal information and to allow only clearly identified people to enter their homes.
To avoid being scammed
It’s easy to fall into the trap of scammers if you’re not careful. So, to avoid being scammed, a word of advice, cut short any canvassing. Whether on the phone or on the doorstep, never follow up. But also, avoid signing documents without having read them before, and keep your personal data to yourself.
Note that a Linky meter can only be installed by the Enedis distributor. Know also that in case of intervention of Enedis agents, the customer is informed at least one month in advance. If people come knocking at your door unexpectedly, be careful, because it is very likely that they are impostors.
