Beware of Bogus Callers over the Festive Period

10 December 2014 12:42

NI Water is calling on customers across Northern Ireland to be extra vigilant during the Christmas and New Year period and beware of bogus callers.  This follows some recent incidents involving criminals coming to the homes of older or vulnerable customers claiming to be from the company.

The general pattern involves criminals posing as agency staff seeking to gain entry to check the water supply in the customer’s property, often resulting in serious distress for the customers in question.

If a caller comes to your door claiming to be from NI Water, Water Service or the Water Board, always ask to see their ID. This will have a photograph of the person carrying it and include details such as their name, a unique serial number and our NI Water logo. Also attach your door chain, if you have one; if not, ask the caller to hold the ID up to a window or put it through your letterbox so you can read it properly without opening your door. If you have any doubts, call our customer helpline on 08457 440 088.

Liam Mulholland, Head of Customer Services at NI Water, gives this advice: “Now that we are well into the Christmas season, many people are looking forward to welcoming friends and family into their homes for festive cheer.  However, some seasonal visitors are less welcome than others, and can bring an end to the Christmas joy by their actions.

‘‘It is very unusual that someone claiming to be from NI Water will call to your door.  If this does happen, simply call our customer helpline on 08457 440 088 to confirm with staff whether the person is in fact genuine. When you are telephoning to clarify the ID, our Customer Service staff will check:

• Name.
• Serial number.
• Date of issue.

‘‘Everyone likes to welcome visitors over Christmas and the New Year, but bogus callers are the sort we could all do without.  This year, make sure Santa Claus is the only caller you let in without ID!’’

The same message applies to telephone calls from people claiming to be from NI Water and asking for bank details.  Do not give this information out over the telephone; simply hang up and report the call to the police or NI Water customer service helpline.