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Scammers pose as anti-fraud agency: 4 scams to watch out for in France
Readers report being targeted by fraudsters both online and while out shopping
Warning over Linky electricity meter frauds in France
Scammers pose as Enedis workers and charge fees to tamper with boxes to reduce bills
France’s electrical grid manager Enedis has warned of widespread ‘Linky’ meter fraud across the country.
Scammers posing as Enedis workers are offering changes to Linky meters installed in homes with the proposition of lowering bills. However to do this, they tamper with meters to provide false readings.
They charge a one-off fee to tinker with the property’s meter, allowing the output of some appliances in the property to avoid being detected.
Aside from being illegal, Enedis states this is also a health risk as tampering can increase the risk of fires.
Read more: Linky meters suspected to be cause of two house fires in France
The scammers have been using the names and identities of Enedis employees and going door to door to homes across France.
Enedris affirmed that it “does not carry out commercial canvassing” in a letter published on its website, and that all appointments for a home visit are approved in advance by the customer and the company.
Property owners found guilty of being complicit in the scam (ie. knowingly altering their energy readings) can be penalised by fines.
Scammers already caught last year
A widespread Linky meter scam impacting thousands of homeowners was discovered at the end of 2023 in the east of France, with two ‘technicians’ going door-to-door offering the service.
Read more: Large-scale Linky meter fraud discovered in France
Some residents who were affected claimed they were victims of fraud themselves, and were unknowingly letting their meters be tampered with.
As the fraudsters were posing as Enedis workers, they believed the changes to be legitimate.
Enedis, however, said that any changes to the box without prior approval from the company were not permitted.
The company only deals with “electrical connections, the installation of Linky meters, the reading of electricity consumption, electrical repairs following a power cut, and the commissioning of electricity contracts at the request of energy suppliers,” the company said.
Changes to Linky meters are never offered as part of its official services.
If you believe you have been victim of fraud you can call a helpline on 09 70 83 19 70, or contact the Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes (Dgccrf).
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