Anglian Water is urging people across the East of England and Hartlepool to take extra care this autumn and winter to protect themselves against bogus callers. 

The water company is issuing the advice to help keep customers safe as the winter nights begin to draw in. A study has revealed that the number of reported cases of criminal activity goes up during the darker evenings, with many cases of distraction burglary being caused by bogus callers. 

According to Age UK, almost a fifth of over 50s in the UK fear answering their phones because of scams, with 2.8 million fearing opening their doors for the same reason. 

Stacey Otter, Customer Services Partnerships Manager at Anglian Water, said: “Unfortunately, at this time of year we hear of a lot more cases of our customers being targeted by fraudsters. All too often bogus callers will claim to be from the ‘water board’ – even though this organisation hasn’t existed for over 40 years. 

“We want all our customers to feel safe in their own home and know what to expect from a genuine Anglian Water employee who may knock on their door. 

“All our employees carry identification cards – which include a brail strip - and will happily hand it over to customers for them to check it. We also have our Priority Services Register, which provides additional support for our most vulnerable customers, such as our password scheme which can be used to add an extra layer of protection against scams.”

Anglian Water is proud to be working in partnership with a variety of trusted organisations across the region to help protect customers if they’re targeted by criminals. The water company is also a founding member of the Utilities Against Scams (UAS) initiative which focuses on raising awareness around scams as a growing issue affecting many people.

The digital age has made it easier for criminals to pose as utility companies, online as well as in person, which can have both financial and emotional impacts for customers. The UAS aims to improve awareness of these types of scams among utility companies' employees, better equipping them to reassure customers and improve the overall customer experience.

All Anglian Water employees carry an identification card that customers can inspect and check with their customer service team who will run a Fitting Image scheme. All ID cards have a braille strip on the back with the free phone number as well.

Stacey added: “If in any doubt we urge customers to close the door and not be pressured into letting someone into their home. They can then check with us by calling for free on 03457 145 145.”

The water company are sharing four simple steps to remember when someone knocks at the door: 

• Lock - make sure your back door's locked before answering the front door.
• Stop - think 'am I expecting anyone?'
• Chain - secure the door chain, if you have one, before opening it.
• Check - Always double-check the caller's identity. If you’re in any doubt, don't let them in.

If you would like to find out more or think you should be on Anglian Water’s Priority Services Register, you can visit anglianwater.co.uk/priority or call Anglian Water’s Priority Services Team on 0800 232 1951.