National Grid and Attorney General Kilmartin Warnn Rhode Islanders of Renewed Payment Scam

November 5, 2015 — Providence, R.I. – National Grid and the Office of the Rhode Island Attorney General are once again warning National Grid customers to beware of the latest on-going episode of utility billing scams. As has been the case several times in the past few years, the Attorney General’s office and National Grid’s Customer Contact Center have received calls from Rhode Island residential and business customers saying they have been contacted by phone by individuals claiming to be from National Grid and advising the customers they have a past due balance on their utility bill. These scammers warn that service will be shut off immediately, unless the customer purchases a prepaid debit card in a specific amount and provides the caller with the card’s account number. Similar scams have operated throughout the country periodically. Callers have become increasingly sophisticated in replicating National Grid’s recorded messaging and directions for phone prompts making it more difficult differentiating an actual call from National Grid as opposed to a scammer’s call.

National Grid does contact customers with past due balances by phone to offer payment options, but never demands direct payment through the use of a pre-paid debit card and never accepts payment through these cards. If customers wish, they can arrange for a payment by check, credit card or debit card if they speak directly to a customer service representative. Payment can also be made by credit card or debit card without a representative’s assistance. Customers who have received calls demanding immediate payment and are told to purchase a pre-paid debit card or other sensitive financial information should hang up and contact National Grid immediately. To verify account information and for any billing-related questions in New England, customers should call National Grid’s Customer Contact Center at 1-800-322-3223.About National GridNational Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE: NGG) is an electricity and natural gas delivery company that connects nearly 7 million customers to vital energy sources through its networks in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the Northeast. National Grid also operates the systems that deliver gas and electricity across Great Britain. Through its U.S. Connect21 strategy, National Grid is transforming its electricity and natural gas networks to support the 21st century digital economy with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions. Connect21 is vital to our communities’ long-term economic and environmental health and aligns with regulatory initiatives in New York (REV: Reforming the Energy Vision) and Massachusetts (Grid Modernization).For more information please visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com, or our Connecting website. You can also follow us on Twitter, watch us on You Tube, Like us on Facebook and find our photos on Instagram.