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Original poster

ENERGY FRAUD … do I report ?

337 replies

bto35 · 06/12/2022 23:47

Hi. I’m really torn on this and not sure what to do if anything . Someone close to me has a business that uses a lot of gas and electricity of which with the rising costs are now thousands in debt .

They mentioned some time ago about knowing someone who could cap the gas meter for a fee . This would slow down the gas meter and produce a much lower bill but wouldn’t close it off completely.

the person close to me was previously paying about £550-600 a month in Gas and I’ve seen their last two direct debits have now dropped to under £100 a month for gas ( no way this is accurate ) they told me they didn’t get the gas capped because they couldn’t afford what they guy wanted paid to do it but it’s clear looking at the recent drop compared to the last 6 months that they have indeed done something to the gas .

Im annoyed because I too like all of us are paying a lot to even heat our homes and here is someone on purpose committing fraud and I believe it could be dangerous as this is a commercial business surrounded by flats above .

Do I report it or ignore it

Would they even take a report seriously ? Has anyone ever had to report for energy fraud ?

OP posts:
QS90 · 11/12/2022 08:40

@TimeForMeToF1y In all fairness, the original post was first and foremost a whinge about how the OP couldn't even afford a bath - the safety aspect was very much an afterthought so in this case it WAS jealousy. Anyway, they can enjoy their cold showers now, thinking about the people whose lives they've ruined! Sure it will cheer them up no end.

thewayround · 11/12/2022 09:27

Twiglets1 · 11/12/2022 06:38

Ok we disagree - continuing to argue the toss on Mumsnet won’t change anything. You would apparently report a friend or family member for going even one drink over the legal limit, I wouldn’t.
A habitual drunk would be another thing (responding to a comment another poster made) but none of my circle are habitual drunks.

Show quote history

would you be driven by your friend when you knew they were over the legal limit @Twiglets1

Would you allow your child to be driven by a friend who was the driver and you knew they were over the legal limit?

thewayround · 11/12/2022 09:30

reported it . What happens next I don’t know but I used one of those national reporting sites.

yeah, sure you did OP

what “one of those National reporting sites” exactly?

sst1234 · 11/12/2022 09:56

This thread continues to confirm how many on MN are on the rob, in one or another. With their ‘I wouldn’t grass attitude’.

thewayround · 11/12/2022 10:04

sst1234 · 11/12/2022 09:56

This thread continues to confirm how many on MN are on the rob, in one or another. With their ‘I wouldn’t grass attitude’.

I always wonder whether they pass this mantra on to their children

Pterrydactyl · 11/12/2022 11:31

Imthegingerbreadwoman · 11/12/2022 08:31

How does it cause an explosion? If its jut the metre? If they tampered with a pipe I would understand but I'm a bit confused by it all really

My understanding is that the main gas line to a property goes through the gas meter.

So as I understand it, it’s impossible to tamper with a gas meter without also tampering with the main gas line.

Ginmonkeyagain · 11/12/2022 11:39

I think it more shows that many people do not appreciate just how dangerous meter tampering can be. Even tampering with electricty meters can cause fires.

Leela100 · 11/12/2022 12:15

bto35 · 10/12/2022 21:12

I reported it . What happens next I don’t know but I used one of those national reporting sites. I explained they have a large outstanding debt , and they will see in the last two months the usage cost has dropped by over 80% which in itself is suspicious for a food place opened 7 days a week. I told them it’s been tampered with for a large fee to someone who has experience in meters and doing this for others .

You mean you reported it because you were jealous they were paying less energy that’s they did once before. Oh well when their business goes under and they can’t feed their family I hope you feel ok about that decision

TimeForMeToF1y · 11/12/2022 13:53

Leela100 · 11/12/2022 12:15

You mean you reported it because you were jealous they were paying less energy that’s they did once before. Oh well when their business goes under and they can’t feed their family I hope you feel ok about that decision

Show quote history

So if I come round and steal from your home that would be OK by you too if I was doing it because I was struggling to feed my family?

Or can theft by condoned if it's from a big business? Where is the line?

Againstmachine · 11/12/2022 14:10

This thread continues to confirm how many on MN are on the rob, in one or another. With their ‘I wouldn’t grass attitude’.

That's it imagine if one of these people got burgled or attacked would they still want people not to 'grass' or are they moral arbiter's of what crime is worthy of grassing and what isn't.

Cheshiresun · 11/12/2022 18:24

Thank you for reporting it. You did the right thing to keep innocent people safe.

CheesenCrackersmm · 11/12/2022 21:30

Thank you for reporting it. You did the right thing to keep innocent people safe

Seconded.

thewayround · 12/12/2022 06:58

I doubt she did

Sennelier1 · 12/12/2022 11:11

About not grassing over a drink too much : no I would not denounce that friend, but I would make sure he/she didn't drive. It's totally different if you report a person because there is a safety issue (like child violence) or if you do it out of spite, or jealousy. I once reported a neighbour (and told him in advance I would if he didn't stop) because he kept burning plastics and tires etc. in his garden. The whole neighbourhood had to inhale the toxic smoke and found burned particles in their own gardens. But if somebody has a small job on the side to make ends meet, I never have reported that. Or have a financial windfall. You can always ask for a chek-up of the gaslines before you run to the authorities with a claim this person, a friend even, is cheating. Because.......you don't even knów if there is any danger, you just presume! Did you have the pipes checked? Thát would have been a good thing to do, for the safety of the neighbourhood.

DonnaBanana · 12/12/2022 11:25

Id stop telling tales as you have proof of nothing

Sennelier1 · 12/12/2022 14:37

@DonnaBanana exactly. She thinks their friend cheats because they have lower bills. Maybe they got a loan? An arrangement? And she is sure there is danger? Why not check that out first?

GasPanic · 12/12/2022 15:00

Sennelier1 · 12/12/2022 11:11

About not grassing over a drink too much : no I would not denounce that friend, but I would make sure he/she didn't drive. It's totally different if you report a person because there is a safety issue (like child violence) or if you do it out of spite, or jealousy. I once reported a neighbour (and told him in advance I would if he didn't stop) because he kept burning plastics and tires etc. in his garden. The whole neighbourhood had to inhale the toxic smoke and found burned particles in their own gardens. But if somebody has a small job on the side to make ends meet, I never have reported that. Or have a financial windfall. You can always ask for a chek-up of the gaslines before you run to the authorities with a claim this person, a friend even, is cheating. Because.......you don't even knów if there is any danger, you just presume! Did you have the pipes checked? Thát would have been a good thing to do, for the safety of the neighbourhood.

How would you ask for "a chek up of the gas lines" if it isn't your property ?

And if you did find some way of organising it, the first thing a gas engineer would do if they found any changes to the supply metering is that they would report it.

Reporting it is in fact asking for a check up of the lines, because if it is deemed necessary a qualified engineer will be sent in to look at it and if there is no problem with it there will be no further issues.

Isitsixoclockalready · 12/12/2022 15:16

The overriding factor in this is safety. Whatever the rights or wrongs of the financial aspect of the issue, you don't f**k about with gas. You're not just risking your own lives but that of others. Regardless of whether that was a motive of the OP, if someone is willing to try something DIY with gas, they only have themselves to blame.

VoiceOfCommonSense · 13/12/2022 06:59

bto35 · 06/12/2022 23:47

Hi. I’m really torn on this and not sure what to do if anything . Someone close to me has a business that uses a lot of gas and electricity of which with the rising costs are now thousands in debt .

They mentioned some time ago about knowing someone who could cap the gas meter for a fee . This would slow down the gas meter and produce a much lower bill but wouldn’t close it off completely.

the person close to me was previously paying about £550-600 a month in Gas and I’ve seen their last two direct debits have now dropped to under £100 a month for gas ( no way this is accurate ) they told me they didn’t get the gas capped because they couldn’t afford what they guy wanted paid to do it but it’s clear looking at the recent drop compared to the last 6 months that they have indeed done something to the gas .

Im annoyed because I too like all of us are paying a lot to even heat our homes and here is someone on purpose committing fraud and I believe it could be dangerous as this is a commercial business surrounded by flats above .

Do I report it or ignore it

Would they even take a report seriously ? Has anyone ever had to report for energy fraud ?

You seem to know a lot about this persons finances. At the end of the day what business is it if yours? You seem just like a jealous busy body love. You are the sort of person who would turn in their neighbours to the nazis during WW2. Just mind your own business. If there’s fraud going on the energy companies aren’t stupid. They will see a major reduction in consumption and send someone out to confirm and at that point the game is up.

CellophaneFlower · 13/12/2022 06:59

Sennelier1 · 12/12/2022 14:37

@DonnaBanana exactly. She thinks their friend cheats because they have lower bills. Maybe they got a loan? An arrangement? And she is sure there is danger? Why not check that out first?

I'm sure OP would have mentioned if they were Gas Safe registered. How are they supposed to check if there's danger otherwise? Only way is to report and it gets checked. If there's nothing untoward going on, no harm done.

thewayround · 13/12/2022 07:02

Sennelier1 · 12/12/2022 11:11

About not grassing over a drink too much : no I would not denounce that friend, but I would make sure he/she didn't drive. It's totally different if you report a person because there is a safety issue (like child violence) or if you do it out of spite, or jealousy. I once reported a neighbour (and told him in advance I would if he didn't stop) because he kept burning plastics and tires etc. in his garden. The whole neighbourhood had to inhale the toxic smoke and found burned particles in their own gardens. But if somebody has a small job on the side to make ends meet, I never have reported that. Or have a financial windfall. You can always ask for a chek-up of the gaslines before you run to the authorities with a claim this person, a friend even, is cheating. Because.......you don't even knów if there is any danger, you just presume! Did you have the pipes checked? Thát would have been a good thing to do, for the safety of the neighbourhood.

You would “make sure they didn’t drive”

6 foot man. A friend that you know no we legal limit. Insistent he is going to drive. So you can’t “make sure they didn’t drive”.

So what would you do in scenario?

Sennelier1 · 13/12/2022 11:06

@thewayround , I've been there, and I took his car keys. Then I drove him home myself. On another occasion it happened to be another friend who took the initiative to drive people home. And at a wedding party it was decided to call cabs for those who'd had too much.

Sennelier1 · 13/12/2022 11:08

@CellophaneFlower I agree. You can ask for an inspection of the gas lines. Still a difference from denouncing a person for fraud without even knowing there is any.

Goodgrief82 · 13/12/2022 11:22

Sennelier1 · 13/12/2022 11:06

@thewayround , I've been there, and I took his car keys. Then I drove him home myself. On another occasion it happened to be another friend who took the initiative to drive people home. And at a wedding party it was decided to call cabs for those who'd had too much.

Great.

My question was what if you couldn’t “make sure” and so your friend over the legal limit did drink and drive?