A scam artist posing as an Enmax worker showed up at a home and threatened to cut off the power a caregiver needed for a child’s medical care machine if she didn’t pay a late bill.
The incident has prompted Calgary Police to issue a public warning about a new door-to-door fraud involving people pretending to be Enmax employees.
Officers were called on July 17 to the home in the 400 block of 71st Avenue S.E. in the community of Fairview by a woman who claimed she’d been defrauded two days before.
Police learned a man had knocked on her door at around noon that day, dressed in what appeared to be an Enmax uniform, carrying a clipboard and a tool box.
The man told the woman she had a late bill and, unless she paid it immediately and in cash, he was going to disconnect her electricity. He then pulled out a wrench and asked where he could find her meter.
The woman, who cares for a child requiring medical care through a machine which uses electricity, became concerned and asked how much she owed.
He told her he needed $837.56, but the woman said she only had $600 in cash at the time, and asked if she could pay the remaining amount by cheque.
The man refused, took the cash, told her he would be back in two weeks for the rest of the money, and left on foot without issuing a receipt.
When the woman called Enmax to arrange what she believed was the final payment she owed, she learned her account was not in arrears and that she had been scammed.
Staff Sgt. Kristie Verheul with the economic crimes unit says this is the only report that police and Enmax have received at this time.
“But it’s very similar to the phone scams where they use threats and intimidation,” Verheul said. “Instead of being on the phone, they have resorted to going door-to-door, and it’s important to let the public know this is not normal and there is an increased risk there.”
Doris Kaufmann Woodcock, spokeswoman with Enmax, called the most recent incident “disturbing.”
“It’s concerning for us, not just that they were scammed out of money but because he was physically at this person’s door, and it brings a whole new level of security risks and concerns we have for our customers,” Kaufmann Woodcock said.
“We hope this was an isolated incident.”
She believes the person didn’t have an authentic uniform but took steps to make it look real.
Verheul said there was no indication the man knew the woman was caring for a child who needed electricity for medical needs.
“She was willing to pay for what she thought was her bill by cheque and they said it must be cash,” she said. “She’s completely out of that money, unfortunately. It’s a sad situation.”
Police describe the man as Caucasian, between 30 and 40 years old, about six feet tall, with short reddish hair, a skinny build and broad shoulders.
He was wearing red coveralls with a blue or black ball cap, and had what appeared to be an Enmax tag.
Police say legitimate Enmax workers, such as meter readers or repair crews, will be seen on the job throughout Calgary. However, Enmax workers will never sell products door to door or show up at someone’s home or business and ask for money on the spot.
“The advice we would give is, don’t engage with them,” Verheul said. “Don’t ever give cash to anybody coming door-to-door like that.”
She urged Calgarians to call the police non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 if someone refuses to leave their property, or to call 911 if they feel threatened or intimidated.
Citizens are encouraged to verify the story, including finding legitimate contact information for Enmax and calling the company directly. Enmax customers can check their information by logging into their online account or by calling 310-2010.
This comes on the heels of another scam using the Enmax name, in which culprits call small businesses — mostly restaurants — and demand they pay their late bills or risk having their power cut off and their food spoiled.
Kaufmann Woodcock says Enmax continues working with the Calgary Police Service and the media to get the word out about these scams, as well as through social media and on their website.
She said the company works with customers who have an account in arrears and helps them come up with a payment plan. Sometimes customers are even referred to social agencies for help.
Enmax will make numerous attempts to reach a customer, including letters and phone calls, and mail out a final notice and make one last call before moving to disconnect.
And the company will not fully disconnect power from October 15 to April 15, or outside those dates when the forecast shows colder weather.
