EDP warns of highly sophisticated frauds using personalised consumer data

Power utility EDP has warned of a new, more sophisticated type of fraud that uses personalised consumer data to mimic legitimate company communications and trick people into making unauthorised payments.

In a statement, the company stresses that receiving an email containing the correct name, address and/ or tax reference number (número de contribuinte) “is no longer a guarantee of authenticity”.

According to EDP, there have been attempts at fraud via emails recently that mimic the company’s communications and may include personalised consumer data, such as the CPE, (Delivery Point Code), which identifies the consumer’s electrical installation.

This new approach represents an evolution from previously detected scams, which mainly involved sending generic written messages containing fraudulent payment requests.

EDP explains that the use of personalised information is intended to increase the credibility of the messages and persuade consumers to make payments that are not required (by EDP).

“The information used in these communications may come from various sources, including data provided by consumers themselves on digital platforms,” it said, adding that it is continuing to investigate the origin of the data and the platforms that may have been used to collect it.

EDP adds that it only requests bank details, passwords, and/ or login credentials through secure channels and advises consumers to verify the authenticity of any communication that creates a sense of urgency to make payments, or that requests sensitive information.

The company also reminds customers that EDP Comercial’s payment reference numbers are exclusively 20174 and 23013 for residential customers, and 12223 and 21196 for business customers.

The company’s advice to people is “always verify the authenticity of payment requests received via text message or email, carefully checking the sender and the details provided in the message”.

“In the case of email, the company always sends its bills as attachments in PDF format and does not provide links to view the bill directly within the body of the email”, it adds.

In the same statement, the electricity supplier also recommends signing up for direct debit to pay bills, as this is the most secure method, eliminating the risk of fraudulent Multibanco reference numbers.

The company notes that it also has a partnership with SIBS, the organisation responsible for managing the Multibanco network, to accelerate the identification and blocking of fraudulent reference numbers.

Since the start of the year, EDP has received over 3,000 reports of attempted fraud, a 4% increase compared with the same period last year – a trend which it has acknowledged may reflect greater awareness and vigilance on the part of customers, as “a result of the ongoing information and prevention work carried out by EDP Comercial with customers, staff and the public”.

Source: LUSA

Natasha Donn

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.