Severn Trent Water warns customers of conmen

Recent cases include a customer receiving phone calls from a man telling her that there was a drainage problem in the area, and that she would need to hire a machine and pay for the repairs.

Another case involved two different conmen calling a lady to say there was a damaged sewer pipe in the area and they would be sending her a bill when the repairs are complete.

Sue Davey, customer relationship manager at Severn Trent Water, said said that the company would never ask customers to hand over money to pay for equipment to fix their pipes.

She said: "And we would never try to get access to our customers' homes to fix sewer pipes.

"If anyone receives a call like this it's always best to ring us straight away to check the credibility of the person calling.

"If someone knocks on a door claiming to be from Severn Trent, 'the water company' or 'the water board' people should tell them to wait or ask them to call back and call us.

"No matter what time we'll be there, this number is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"Our employees fully expect you to check their identity, with a card or a call and they will wait while you carry out the necessary checks.

"ID cards can be faked, so people can check the caller's identity by ringing a number you've found from another source, such as your water bill or our website. They shouldn't automatically assume the phone number on the card is valid."

The water company said that customers can also set up a password, so that if a Severn Trent Water employee genuinely needs access to their home or account details, they will know the chosen word.

Severn Trent Water customers can register for a password by visitingstwater.co.uk/doorstep-password, calling 03457 500 500 or emailingcustomer.relations@severntrent.co.uk. They can also call the firm on 0345 604 1655 to report concerns.