Make sure Santa’s the only stranger in your house this Christmas

Christmas is almost here, and it’s the season of peace and goodwill – but that doesn’t mean there won’t be some people ready to take advantage.

NI Water is calling on customers across Northern Ireland to be extra vigilant during the Christmas and New Year period and beware of bogus callers.

Criminals can pose as NI Water staff seeking to gain entry to check the water supply in the customer’s property, often resulting in serious distress for the customers involved.

If a caller comes to your door claiming to be from NI Water, Water Service or the Water Board, always ask to see their ID. This will have a photograph of the person carrying it and include details such as their name, a unique serial number and our NI Water logo.

Also attach your door chain, if you have one; if not, ask the caller to hold the ID up to a window or put it through your letterbox so you can read it properly without opening your door. If you have any doubts, call our customer helpline on 03457 440 088.

Liam Mulholland, Head of Customer Services at NI Water, gives this advice, “Now that we are well into the Christmas season, many people are looking forward to welcoming friends and family into their homes for some festive cheer, but others can bring an end to the Christmas joy by their actions.

‘‘It is very unusual that someone claiming to be from NI Water will call to your door. If, however, this does happen, simply call our customer helpline on 03457 440 088 to confirm with staff whether the person is genuine. When you are telephoning to clarify the ID, our Customer Service staff will check their name, serial number and date of issue.

“Don’t be afraid to check the ID. Genuine callers won’t mind waiting while you do. Never allow anyone access to your property unless you are sure of who they are. For a happy and peaceful Christmas free from bogus callers, make sure that Santa Claus is the only stranger in your home,’’ he added.

The same message applies to telephone calls from people claiming to be from NI Water and asking for bank details. Do not give this information out over the telephone. Simply hang up and report the call to the police or NI Water customer service helpline.

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Posted by Newry Times News on Dec 17 2015. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry