GASTONIA, N.C., March 2, 2020 – This National Consumer Awareness Week, Dominion Energy is arming customers with a new mobile app and helpful consumer tips in the fight against utility scams.

“Scammers are relentless, and they are very good at coming up with more and more sophisticated ways to trick our customers,”, said Sam Dozier, vice president of customer service for Dominion Energy North Carolina. “But thanks to Dominion Energy North Carolina's new mobile app, scammers will have a much harder time convincing customers that a payment is due or that service is scheduled for disconnection. The app provides secure access to real-time account information that can quickly dispute a scammer's claims.”

Customers can download the free Dominion Energy North Carolina gas app from the Apple and Google Play stores by searching NC Gas - Dominion Energy. Full mobile website functionality allows customers to securely pay their bill right from their mobile device. Customers can also check balance information, verify past payments, start or stop service and even request a payment arrangement if needed.

Recognize the signs of utility scammers:

• Dominion Energy North Carolina does not call customers and threaten to disconnect natural gas service if the customer does not make a payment immediately. Likewise, Dominion Energy will never demand payment with a credit or debit card by phone, or ask you to buy a prepaid card, wire a transfer or send a money order to pay your bill.
• Oftentimes, utility scammers will target small businesses, such as restaurants, and threaten service disconnection during peak business hours to instill fear and a sense of urgency.
• Utility scammers are known to falsify their caller ID so it appears they're calling from a local number, even Dominion Energy's customer service number. When in doubt, hang up.
• Not all scammers are aggressive. Some scammers find success in being personable and sympathetic.

In all of these cases, don't provide any identifying information such as your social security, credit or debit card numbers. Hang up and check your account balance and payment due date by reviewing your dominionenergync.com account, using the company's mobile app or calling the number located on your energy bill to verify the caller's claims. For more scam prevention tips, visit dominionenergync.com/for-my-home/natural-gas-safety/how-to-identify-our-workers.

About Dominion Energy

More than 7 million customers in 18 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to sustainable, reliable, affordable and safe energy and is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy with more than $100 billion of assets providing electric generation, transmission and distribution, as well as natural gas storage, transmission, distribution and import/export services. The company is committed to achieve net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions from its power generation and gas infrastructure operations by 2050. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.