British Gas Scam Email 2020: Beware of Fake Bills
I keep receiving fake British Gas bills like the one below with a customer reference number that is NOT mine. I have forwarded all the fake emails to British Gas/Centrica's email address at phishing@centrica.com to alert them of this scam. Remember, if in doubt, don't click any links in suspicious emails.
A "British Gas" Scam Email
From: British Gas
Sent:29 April 2020 12:45
Subject: Important information about your outstanding bill
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This email is about: Your unpaid British Gas bill
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Please add britishgas.co.uk to your safe senders list or address book
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Your Customer ReferenceNumber
#8820 1663 9461
Products & services Smarter Living Help & advice Your account
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Your bill
is still overdue and needs paying
Hello
We sent you a gas bill for £18.41, and we still haven't received payment. If you've paid it in the last five days, please ignore this email. To see if your payment has cleared you can check your account.
Nextsteps
If we do not receive a payment or hear from you in the next two days and we have to contact you again, you will be charged £140 to cover our reasonable costs
If we have to visit your property to collect this debt you will be charged £540
If the debt remains unpaid we plan to obtain a courtwarrant to visit your home and either replace your gas meter with a pay as you go meter or disconnect your gas supply this could result in additional charges ofup to £402
If your gas supply is disconnected we will charge you £750 to reconnectyour supply
Pay us online now
All the link in the fake bill go to the following fake British Gas website:
- hxxps://britishgas-login-verify.zeetronics.us/
How can I tell if my email is from British Gas?
British Gas email you for lots of reasons, like letting you know when your new bill is ready, confirming a payment or telling you about offers they think you might like. But you can tell it's really British Gas because:
- British Gas emails will always address you by name.
- If the email's about your account, it will have your account number.
- British Gas won't ask you for any personal details.
- British Gas emails will only give you links back to the britishgas.co.uk website, but it's best not to click on any links if you're in doubt.
How do I spot a fake British Gas email or website?
Criminals are good at making their fake emails and websites look realistic. But you can often spot the sham ones because they:
- Write to you as 'Dear customer' instead of using your name.
- Ask you to update or confirm your details.
- Have poor design, typos or bad spelling and grammar.
- Have odd looking emails or web addresses. Ours begins with britishgas.co.uk, and not someaddress.com/britishgas.co.uk/.
- If in doubt, don't click on any links.
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Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.