Business Energy Scam Calls

Don't Agree to a Contract Over the Phone

If someone calls claiming to be from your energy supplier and pressures you to agree a new contract over the phone, don't agree to anything. Take their details and check who you're dealing with before going any further.

Recently, one of our business clients received daily calls from a man calling himself "Joshua Anthony" (yes, really – the boxer Anthony Joshua's name reversed), claiming to be from E.ON Next.

The calls had several warning signs of a potential scam, and they highlight why businesses need to be particularly careful when discussing energy contracts over the phone.

Here's something every business owner should know: unlike domestic energy contracts, business energy contracts can be legally binding when agreed verbally over the phone, and there is generally no cooling-off period. That means agreeing to a contract during a telephone call could leave your business tied into an expensive agreement you never intended to take out.

You can read more about this on Ofgem's website.

What happened

The caller insisted that our client's energy contract rates were about to change and repeatedly pressured them to agree a new contract verbally, there and then, over the phone.

When asked for an email address, he refused to provide one. He continued calling back, day after day.

He did, however, leave two telephone numbers.

One played a recorded message that we've encountered before on other suspected scam lines. The other was a genuine E.ON telephone number, but for an unrelated department.

Giving out a genuine supplier telephone number can create a false sense of security, particularly if someone checks the number without realising it belongs to a completely different department.

Our client was already on a fully fixed contract, so their agreed rates were not due to change.

We've reported the calls to E.ON and are awaiting their findings. However, based on the circumstances and our experience of similar incidents, we strongly suspect this was an attempted scam.

How these scams work

The aim is usually to pressure businesses into agreeing an unwanted energy contract, paying a fee or handing over sensitive account or financial information.

Common tactics include:

• Pretending to be your current supplier. Information about energy suppliers and individual supply points can sometimes be obtained from industry records or other sources. A caller knowing your supplier or meter details doesn't prove they're genuine.
• Inventing urgency. Claims such as "your rates are going up tomorrow" or "you'll lose your discount unless you agree today" are designed to make you act without thinking.
• Pushing for a verbal agreement. The caller wants you to agree to something over the phone, potentially creating what they claim is a legally binding contract.
• Using genuine supplier telephone numbers. Providing a real telephone number for an unrelated department can make the caller appear more credible. Scammers can also disguise the number displayed on your phone to make it appear that a legitimate company is calling.
• Calling repeatedly. Daily calls can be intended to wear you down until you agree simply to make them stop.

Warning signs to look out for

Be particularly suspicious if someone claiming to represent your energy supplier or an energy broker:

• Insists you agree to a contract verbally over the phone, without giving you a reasonable opportunity to review the terms.
• Refuses to provide an email address or another verifiable way of communicating in writing.
• Claims your agreed rates are about to increase, despite your contract providing for fixed rates.
• Calls repeatedly, day after day, pressuring you to make a decision.
• Cannot provide sufficient information to help you verify who they are.
• Asks for bank details, card details or an unexpected payment.

Not every unexpected call is a scam, and legitimate energy suppliers and brokers do sometimes contact businesses by telephone.

However, you should never feel pressured into making an immediate decision about your energy contract.

A genuine representative should be willing to let you verify their identity and review the proposed terms before proceeding.

What to do if you receive a suspicious call

1. Don't agree to anything. Avoid verbal agreements and don't disclose sensitive account information, passwords or bank details.
2. Ask for their details. Request their full name, company, telephone number and an official email address or another verifiable means of corresponding in writing. Refusal to provide these details should raise suspicion.
3. Ask for everything in writing. Explain that you won't discuss a new contract until you've had an opportunity to review the proposed rates and terms.
4. Check independently. Contact your energy supplier or broker using details you already know are genuine, such as those on your bill, contract or the supplier's official website. Don't rely on a telephone number supplied by the caller, even if it turns out to be genuine.
5. Keep a record and block suspicious numbers. Make a note of the caller's details, the numbers used, the dates of the calls and what was said. Once you've established that the calls are suspicious, consider blocking the numbers.

If you have already agreed to something over the phone, contact your existing supplier or energy broker immediately. The sooner you raise concerns about a potentially unauthorised or mis-sold contract, the better.

How to report a suspected scam

Even if you haven't lost any money, reporting suspicious calls helps the authorities identify patterns and investigate potential fraud.

• England, Wales and Northern Ireland: Report the incident to Report Fraud, which replaced Action Fraud in December 2025. You can report online or call 0300 123 2040.
• Scotland: Contact Police Scotland on 101.
• Suspicious text messages and mobile calls: Forward suspicious texts or report suspicious mobile telephone numbers free to 7726.

You can also find advice about dealing with scam calls and messages on Ofcom's website.

Not sure whether a call is genuine? Talk to us.

If you're ever unsure whether a telephone call, letter or email about your business energy is genuine, contact UK Business Energy Broker.

We regularly help businesses deal with energy suppliers, contracts and billing issues, and we're familiar with the tactics used by callers who misrepresent themselves.

We're always happy to help you check whether something is genuine, whether or not you're an existing client.

A quick check could save your business from an expensive mistake.