Consumers Energy is cautioning Michigan residents to properly identify utility employees as genuine, before admitting them into their homes. Often, would-be thieves masquerade as employees to gain entry to residences."We hear of it sporadically throughout the year," said Terry DeDoes, Consumers Energy spokesman, who added the company's urging is not triggered by a specific increase in reported burglaries.
"We've had instances, but no breakdown by region," DeDoes added. "There is no part of our service area that is immune to these impostors."
What exactly the home-invaders are after varies. "Their schemes run the gamut, so I can't say here's what to look out for," DeDoes said. "They change it around quite a bit."
To protect against becoming a victim of one of these impostors, Consumers Energy is reminding customers that every employee carries a company identification card with a photo and will show it when asked by a customer.
Employees do not solicit door-to-door for any program. The company also advises to never give money to anyone for work that was not requested and to report any suspicious activity to local police.