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Help Me Hank: DTE, BBB issue warning about door-to-door DTE scam targeting seniors in Oakland County

‘Call police if you believe the person at your door is a con artist’

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – DTE Energy and the Better Business Bureau are working to make people aware of scammers who claim to be with DTE, but are nothing more than crooks.

Police said the scammers are targeting the elderly mainly in Oakland County, but they move quickly and police want people to be aware. People have been reportedly posing as DTE employees and going door-to-door, offering to help customers cut their bill down.

“DTE encourages customers to call police if you believe the person at your door is a con artist posing as a utility worker,” a DTE spokesperson said. “Remember to ask for identification, as DTE employees and contractors carry photo ID. Do not allow people into your home who are offering refunds or trying to collect payment for a DTE bill.”

Once thieves are inside, they work to steal your personal information or anything else they can grab.

Hank Winchester previously went undercover working with police to expose how some people are willing to open a door and let almost anyone in who looks somewhat official. What he learned was the majority of men were fine with letting a stranger in, while women were much more cautious.

Watch the full report in the video above.


About the Authors
Hank Winchester headshot

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.

Kayla Clarke headshot

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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