Modern Scams · Postwar suburbia – present
The Utility Worker Scam
A friendly man in a hard hat says there's a gas leak — or a water problem — and needs inside your home. While he distracts you at the basement, a partner slips upstairs and cleans out the jewelry drawer.
The Confidence Game
Maria Konnikova
The single best explanation of why smart people say yes. Start here.
Now broadcasting: The Utility Worker Scam
The short of it
The Utility Worker Scam is a modern scams that dates to the Postwar suburbia – present. A friendly man in a hard hat says there's a gas leak — or a water problem — and needs inside your home. While he distracts you at the basement, a partner slips upstairs and cleans out the jewelry drawer. The tell is usually simple: unannounced visits from 'inspectors' with no work order. If you remember one thing, remember this — real utilities schedule visits and can be verified by phone.
Warning Signs
- Unannounced visits from 'inspectors' with no work order.
- Two or more workers who want to split up inside your home.
- Uniforms and badges that look almost — but not quite — right.
Protect Yourself
- Real utilities schedule visits and can be verified by phone.
- Keep the door closed and call the number on your bill.
- Never let a stranger inside without written notice.
Read Deeper
The Confidence Game
Maria Konnikova
Why we fall for it — every time. A definitive study of the con artist's mind.
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Watch it unfold
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Play the grift
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Lock the door
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