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Utilities bill higher than usual? Telltale signs you're being scammed out of internet, electricity and more
As the cost of power, water and internet services rise, it is crucial to keep on top of how much you are spending on utilities.
This includes making sure you are not falling victim to utility theft, experts warn.
Criminals are able to steal electricity from exterior outlets, for example, or hack into your WIFI connection if it is not protected by a password.
According to the Lifehacker, it is estimated that close to $100 billion worth of electricity theft occurs worldwide every year.
The easiest and most obvious sign that someone is stealing any utility is a sudden, inexplicable spike in your bill, the outlet reported.
According to the Lifehacker, it is estimated that close to $100 billion worth of electricity theft occurs worldwide every year
If your bill is suddenly much higher and your behavior has not changed, this could either be a sign that there is a problem with the infrastructure - or someone could be tapping into your supply.
When it comes to electricity, make sure you pay attention to your bills, especially if you have automatic payments set up.
If you suspect you may be a victim of power theft, you can inspect your home for obvious signs.
Lifehacker recommends checking exterior outlets for signs that someone may be plugging an extension cord into an exterior outlet to run it into their home.
You can consider installing a locking outlet cover to stop people using an exterior outlet.
Look out for 'any odd-looking splices, clamps, or amateurish wiring', which could be a potential sign of theft.
Do not try to touch anything, the outlet warns, and call your utility provider if you see something that looks off.
'A final check you can safely perform yourself is to go to your meter and turn off all the circuit breakers,' it said.
'Then watch the meter - if it continues to go up, something is still pulling power from your connection.'
Checking your water bill is the easiest way to spot potential water theft.
Others include lower water pressure or signs that someone has patched into an outdoor sprinkler system or hose spigot.
However it is more difficult to detect whether someone is tapping into your internet through looking at your bills, according to Lifehacker.
That is because while water and power spikes show up as increased volume, an internet freeloader would have to use enough data to surpass your provider's data cap to be noticed.
Instead, slower internet speeds or unknown devices on your network could be a sign that someone is using your WIFI without your permission.
If your bill is suddenly much higher and your behavior has not changed, this could either be a sign that there is a problem with the infrastructure - or someone could be tapping into your supply
Slower internet speeds or unknown devices on your network could be a sign that someone is using your WIFI without your permission
'First, count up all the devices that you use - computers, phones, laptops, tablets, smart devices - and match them to the list on your router,' Lifehacker said.
'If you find any that you don’t recognize, boot them off - and change your password.'
Theft of streaming services is becoming more difficult as providers crack down on password sharing across devices and households.
But it is still possible, the outlet warns, if the thief has infiltrated your WIFI and is watching streaming services on your network.
The easiest way to spot this is if unknown profiles appear or there are changes to your bill.
'If you find someone piggybacking on your hard-earned streaming money, you'll need to log out of all devices, change your password, delete those profiles, and then log back in everywhere,' the outlet said.