Electric meter payoff scam is shocking
An unemployed man who disguised himself as a power company worker and cheated residents out of 4,400 yuan (US$639) has been sentenced to six months in jail for fraud, prosecutors in the Pudong New Area said on Wednesday.
The man, Sun, a former power company employee, told residents that their electric meters had "problems" and that he suspected them of stealing electricity. He then asked for money to avoid a fine.
According to the Pudong New Area People's Procuratorate, in April this year power company worker Zhou and his colleagues were performing checks on a residential complex in Pudong. A resident told him that a worker had earlier come to his home for a payment.
Zhou then made a report to Pudong police.
Fake power company worker Sun was soon traced by police officers.
During questioning, Sun said he used to be a member of an engineering team with the power company.
After losing his job, he decided to extort money from people who were stealing electricity.
He prepared a uniform, a bag with the "State Grid" mark and a tester pen for the task.
However, he was not satisfied with the money he received and decided to scam people.
As many sub lessors and tenants don't understand their meters he was able to succeed.
One of the victims, a woman surnamed Shen, told police that Sun had said there was something wrong with her electric meter and she could be fined more than 2,000 yuan. But if she could give him 1,000 yuan, he would help her to deal with the problem.
Prosecutors are warning residents to check the credentials of workers.