NYSEG and RG&E Warn Customers of Rise in Sophisticated Scams
Scammers often pose as utility workers to deceive customers into giving up personal information
Companies have protective measures to guard customers’ information
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — February 9, 2026 — New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) are warning customers about the rise in sophisticated scams. Scammers are using aggressive methods to get customers to give up personal information.
“Our customers’ security matters; we take it seriously,” said NYSEG and RG&E CEO Patricia Nilsen. “We're dedicated to our customers' well-being, and we’ve put protective measures in place to guard our customers' personal information.”
Scammers often pose as utility representatives to deceive customers into divulging personal information. They may visit homes or businesses or communicate with customers using a technique known as phishing, which is when fraudsters send emails aiming to obtain sensitive information. Fraudsters use phone calls, or vishing, spoofing a legitimate phone number, making it appear like the call is coming from a trusted business. Scammers may send text messages or smishing to obtain personal information.
Customers are encouraged to remain vigilant against tactics such as disconnection threats, meter payment scams, overpayment scams, and door-to-door impostors.
We will never:
Ask you to email us any personal information, such as payment/financial details or your address.
Send you programs to install on your computer.
Terminate a customer’s service without providing notice for non-payment.
Perform shut-offs during hours when our Customer Contact Center is closed.
Go door-to-door asking to see customer bills.
The Companies may contact customers by phone, email, or text to inform them about services, alerts set up, or activities in the area, while respecting privacy and complying with data protection laws.
Customers are encouraged to avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. NYSEG and RG&E representatives and contractors always carry company-issued photo identification and will always provide it when asked. Make payments using official payment channels. The Companies will never demand payment from prepaid cards or Green Dot cards.
If customers are uncertain of the identity of the caller or a visitor at your door, contact the customer service team immediately. NYSEG: call 800.572.1111; RG&E: call 800.743.2110.
About NYSEG: New York State Electric & Gas Corporation (NYSEG) is a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc. Established in 1852, NYSEG operates approximately 35,000 miles of electric distribution lines and 4,500 miles of electric transmission lines across more than 40% of upstate New York. It also operates more than 8,150 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines and 20 miles of gas transmission pipelines. It serves approximately 894,000 electricity customers and 266,000 natural gas customers. For more information, visit www.nyseg.com.
About RG&E: Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E) is a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc. Established in 1848, RG&E operates approximately 8,800 miles of electric distribution lines and 1,100 miles of electric transmission lines. It also operates approximately 10,600 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines and 105 miles of gas transmission pipelines. It serves approximately 378,500 electricity customers and 313,000 natural gas customers in a nine-county region in New York surrounding the City of Rochester. For more information, visit www.rge.com.
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. is a leading energy company in the United States working to meet the growing demand for energy for homes and businesses across the nation through service, innovation, and continued investments by expanding grid infrastructure and energy generation projects. Avangrid has offices in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Maine, and Oregon, including operations in 23 states with approximately $48 billion in assets, and has two primary lines of business: networks and power. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.4 million customers in New York and New England. Through its power generation business, Avangrid owns and operates 80 energy generation facilities across the United States producing 10.5 GW of power for over 3.1 million customers. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens – in 2025 for the fifth consecutive year. The company was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2025 for the seventh consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit http://www.avangrid.com.