Page 10 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – WEDnESDAy, JUly 3, 2024 BBB Scam Alert: Utility impostor scam U tility scams happen any time of year, but will typically pop up during extreme cold or heat events when many people are more likely to need their heat or air conditioning. Scammers may impersonate water, electric, and gas company representatives, threatening residents and business owners with deactivation of service if they don’t pay up immediately. How the scam works Utility company impostors will typically contact customers with a phone call, text, or knock on the door, claiming to be a representative from the local water, electric, or gas company. In the most common scenario, they will claim payment is overdue and the utility will shut off within the hour if the bill is not paid immediately. Scammers use a variety of other tricks to prey on utility cusASKS | FROM PAGE 3 that I’d love to do a children’s book about the park. Then I talked to another ranger, Nicki Pszenny, who is a Danvers resident. We made a plan: I would do the writing and Nicki would do the illustrations. We worked with the Friends of Endicott Park to get the project going. I got going on the story and Nicki got going on the illustrations. We compiled everything a publishing company would need to get the book done. We worked on it over the course of a year. tomers. A “representative” may appear at the door in a plausible work uniform claiming that the electric meter is not working properly and must be immediately replaced— at the homeowner’s expense. In another form of this con, the scammer may gain access inside the home to perform “repairs” or an “energy audit” with the intent of stealing valuables or coming across personally identifiable information that just happens to be out in plain sight. These cons may also involve promises of energy discounts with the intent of taking money, personal information, or possibly the account details needed to switch the resident to another utility provider without consent (an illegal practice known as “slamming”). One person shared their experience with a utility scam on Q: When did the project begin? A: This is something that had been talked about before. But this time, something developed from the talk. It’s something I mentioned that I wanted to be a part of. It was somewhat of a team eff ort. We started the process at the end of 2022 and had the book printed and ready for sale at the end of 2023. The project was made possible by the Friends of Endicott Park – the group that supports the barn animals with food and veterinary costs and various projects around BBB Scam Tracker: “The caller pretended to be a [company name redacted] customer service rep, telling me my electric is being shut off within 1 hour if I don’t go to [company name redacted] to send them 232 dollars immediately.” Another consumer reported, “...Lady claimed to be from [company name redacted] and told us our power would be shut off in 45 minutes and we were to call the billing department. [My] husband called the number and they asked for a credit card. He didn’t feel right about it and called [company name redacted] and they said it was a scam.” Tips to spot this scam Prepaid debit cards and wire transfers are a red fl ag. If a caller specifically asks for payment by prepaid debit card, gift card, a digital wallet app, or wire transfer, this is a the park. The book costs $20 and all of the proceeds from the sale of the book goes to the Friends and will continue to go to the Friends. I did all of the writing and handled the publishing aspects behind the scenes, and Nicki did all of the illustrations. We had others help with giving advice and sharing their opinions. It was a team eff ort between the staff at Endicott Park and the Friends of Endicott Park. The park and the Friends collaborated on the project. Q: How did it work out for you? huge warning sign. Legitimate utility companies will often accept a check or credit card. Pressure to pay immediately. Utility scammers will press for immediate payment, typically within a short time frame under an hour, and may try high-pressure tactics to intimidate consumers into giving them personal and banking information. Protect yourself against this scam Call customer service. If you feel pressured for immediate action by an unknown caller, hang up the phone and call the customer service number listed on your actual utility bill. If the scammer provided you with a utility bill, it could be fake, so be sure to go back to a previous, real utility bill and confi rm that the phone number you will be calling is correct. This will ensure you are A: We sold 500 copies in December 2023 in the fi rst printing. A few weeks later, we sold a couple hundred more. It was really great to create something that showcases the park, highlights its assets and gives some people a memento to keep from their visit to the park – something that shows the care, wonder and fun that goes into the place. A lot of people who come to the park have something they can take home for their grandkids, kids and even grownup kids – and even themselves – something that will speaking to a real representative from your utility company. Never give your personal or banking information to an unverifi ed or unsolicited caller. Never allow anyone into your home unless you have scheduled an appointment or reported a problem. It is rare that a legitimate utility company will show up unannounced and demand entry into your home. Also, ask utility employees for proper identification before letting them enter. For more information Read more about how to avoid impostor scams @ https://www.bbb.org/article/ news-releases/21686-howto-avoid-impostor-scams. Report scams at https://www. bbb.org/scamtracker and learn how to protect yourself, by going https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10steps-to-avoid-scams help them remember fond memories of the place. It’s a children’s book that was written for children, but it’s really written for people of all ages. Q: What kind of feedback did you get from your readers? Did you hear anything interesting from them? A: Yes, we did. We got some parents who told us that their kids ask them to read the book before they go to bed at night. We’re excited to be able to publish a book that families can relate to and talk about at home. Q: Any other plans for future writing projects? A: I defi nitely want to be writing more books in my life in a variety of environmental areas, especially books that help people connect and enjoy nature. I’ve always loved reading and writing. My thesis for my degree at UMass Amherst was “The Book for People who want to learn more about the environment.” That book is not available yet, but hopefully gets into print. Q: Anything else that you FULFILLING A CHILDHOOD DREAM: Ever since he was a kid, Saugus native Ryan Duggan said, he always dreamed about writing a children’s book. He accomplished that last December, collaborating with another park ranger on publishing “A Day at Endicott Park.” Duggan did all of the writing. Nicki Pszenny did all of the illustrations. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) Collaborating on a children’s book: Ryan Duggan, of Saugus, and Nicki Pszenny, of Danvers – park rangers at Endicott Park – savored the moment last December when boxes of their book, “A Day at Endicott Park,” arrived. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) would like to share? A: I think it’s really great when people can take their passions and apply it to their job, like I have. The same is true of Nicki. She always wanted to be an illustrator. She got to do illustrations and apply them to this book project involving Endicott Park. I learned a lot from writing this book. As a model, it’s a fun kind of book that can be written for other parks.
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