Have you ever heard of energy theft? No….well neither had I until recently. If you don’t know what energy theft – or energy fraud is – then in this blog post, we’ll be discussing energy theft and what you need to know about it. Energy theft is a serious crime that can have a major impact on your family. We’ll discuss what energy theft is, how it happens, and what you can do to prevent it.
Energy theft is a serious problem that not only affects the victim, but also the utility company and the community as a whole. It’s important to be aware of the signs of energy theft and how to prevent it.
Reports of energy theft have soared as Britons face rising bills for electricity and gas, figures show.
With the cost of living crisis and rising utility bills and potential energy black outs bearing down on us all, there has been a 15% increase month-on-month in the number of reports made to the Crimestoppers charity.
Back in August, more than 1,000 people reported energy theft and that is expected to increase as energy prices continue to rise. Tampering with meters can be disastrous causing house fires and worse. That’s why I’ve teamed up with Stay Energy Safe, an anonymous reporting service that keeps people and communities safe from the disastrous effects of energy crime, powered by the charity Crimestoppers in this guide to understanding energy theft.
What is energy theft?
Energy theft is the unauthorized taking of electricity or gas. It can happen in a number of ways, but the most common is when someone tampering with the meter or bypasses it altogether. This results in the utility company not being able to properly meter the amount of electricity or gas that’s being used, which means that the customer is not paying for the actual amount of energy they’re using.
How does energy theft happen?
There are a number of ways that energy theft can happen, but the most common is meter tampering. This is when someone alters the meter so that it doesn’t register the correct amount of electricity or gas that’s being used. This can be done by bypassing the meter altogether or by tampering with the dials so that it doesn’t accurately reflect the amount of energy being used. You can find out more about how to spot meter tampering here.
What are the consequences of energy theft?
Energy theft is a serious crime that can have a number of negative consequences. Not only does it cause the utility company to lose revenue.
The loss of revenue caused by energy theft raises electricity and gas prices for everyone. In addition, energy theft can lead to blackouts and brownouts as energy demand exceeds supply. This can be a major inconvenience for businesses and families.
What can you do to prevent energy theft?
There are a number of things you can do to prevent energy theft. The most important is to be aware of the signs of energy theft and to report it to the utility company if you suspect it’s happening.
You should also protect your home by ensuring that your meters and electrical panels are locked and secured. And, if you’re going to be away from home for an extended period of time, you should let the utility company know so that they can monitor your usage.
Energy theft is a serious problem that can have a major impact on your family, the utility company, and the community as a whole. By being aware of the signs of energy theft and taking steps to prevent it, you can help keep your community safe and secure.
How to report energy theft crime
If you or someone you know think they may have been a victim of energy theft crime, it is really important not to feel scared to report it. You can keep your family and community safe by reporting energy theft crime 100% anonymously. If you suspect energy theft or meter tampering you can report the suspected energy crime here.
The bottom line is that energy theft is dangerous. It’s important we work together to help combat it because every year it costs lives, causes injury, and destroys property.
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To be honest. I have never heard of energy theft until this post. I’m definitely going to be more vigilant.
I have been hearing more and more about this, it is scary what is happening. Thank you for raising awareness of this
It is crazy & also sad that people have to resort to this in order to afford being able to live properly. I didn’t know this was becoming such a big thing, thanks for sharing this.
I’ve heard of this but I’ve never actually seen it or been affected by it. This was a great cautionary read.
I didn’t realize that this was such a big issue. I can see why people need to be careful, especially with utilities going up in price.
I’d heard a bit about energy theft but I wasn’t too sure how it works etc, so this is quite the eye-opener! It is a scary thought, isn’t it?
I have been hearing more and more about energy theft recently. It’s quite concerning. It helps to know what to look out for in case it happens.
There are definitely a lot of consequences to energy theft. But what concerns me the most is that things are so bad people are going to these extremes. Not acceptable at all, of course, but it’s just a shame overall.
Meter tampering is a serious concern. Energy thefts nuisance should be curtailed.
I haven’t thought of this but with the energy costs rising I think this will become a more common problem. Thanks for bringing awareness to this issue!
I have not heard of energy theft before. It does make sense that it is on the rise with our current prices escalating at unprecedented rates.
I did not know that energy theft was a thing, its got me worried now. I need to make sure that our meters and electrical panels are locked and secured as you mentioned.