DETROIT — In the last five months, nearly 100 DTE Energy small business customers have been defrauded by people posing as DTE Energy employees. The scammers have collected more than $40,000 in those reported cases alone.
The scam involves a person calling a business, usually during a busy time, claiming to be a DTE Energy employee. The scammer tries to convince the customer that he or she owes a significant amount of money and the power will be shut off within an hour without a payment with a Green Dot card.
The scam has been reported at a number of utility companies across the nation in the last year.
DTE Energy never asks customers to make payments using a Green Dot card, nor does it go door to door collecting payments.
DTE Energy is working with law enforcement authorities to address this issue and customers should call (800) 477-4747 if they suspect a scam or to discuss any billing issues.
