THE DOORSTEP PASSWORD PROCEDURE

“I am protected by a password and I know if callers to my home are genuine.”

DO NOT LET ANYONE IN WHO SAYS THEY ARE FROM THE WATER BOARD.

IF IT IS SEVERN TRENT REPRESENTATIVE PLEASE FOLLOW THIS PROCEDURE -

1. A Severn Trent Water representative calls at your house.
2. Come to the door, but do not open it.
3. Talk through it.
4. Ask the representative for your password.
5. The representative will tell you the password.
6. Ask the representative to show you their identity card BEFORE entering.

The representative will make a call to our control centre to obtain your password.

DONT LET THEM IN!

“I’m from the water board!” -don’t you believe it!

There is an increasing number of incidents involving bogus callers. These are people who impersonate utility staff (such as your water company) to gain entry and access to your home.

Severn Trent Water supports the message of “STOP, CHAIN and CHECK” before opening the door. For more information about this contact your local police service.

Severn Trent Water recognises the devastating effect bogus callers can have on customers. That is why we have worked with local police forces and the BBC to publish this.

DO NOT LET THEM IN

However realistic a caller may look or sound, it is unusual for a Severn Trent Water employee to visit you without prior arrangement. All of our employees carry identification passes and are required to wear them at all times. If the person at your door is claiming to be from Severn Trent Water, please take the following steps to help you to confirm this:

If they knock on your door, DO NOT OPEN IT! Speak to the representative through the door.

Ask them to put their pass through the letterbox or up to the window so that you can read their details.

Take their details down and telephone us on 0800 783 4444 We will verify if the caller is genuine and does work for Severn Trent Water.

Please be aware, our staff do not use phrases such as "I am from the water board" If you hear a phrase like this, be suspicious.

Our staff have been trained to be specific, to say that they are from Severn Trent Water. Even then do not accept this alone as proof the caller is genuine.

DO NOT BE PANICKED INTO LETTING THEM IN

If they use phrases such as; "we need to stop a flood at a neighbours" or "let me in quickly your taps are running and I need to turn them off", you should be suspicious.

Our staff never panic customers to gain entry into their home.

If you are in any doubt about the caller on your doorstep, please dial 999 and ask for the police. Whatever you do, do not open the door and do not let them in!

PASSWORD PROTECTION SCHEME

If you live on your own or would like greater security, you can contact us to request a doorstep protection password. To do this please call 08457 500 500.

We will then agree a password with you which will remain secret. This password will then be used if a Severn Trent Water representative calls at your door. For the scheme to work you must keep your door closed and speak to the caller through the door saying, "I have a password". Once you have told the representative that you are password protected, they will call our control centre to obtain the password.

Unless the caller provides you with your correct password, you should under no circumstances let them in. Do not accept any excuses they may make for not knowing your password.

We hope that it will help to prevent bogus callers coming to your door claiming to be from your water company.

BOGUS CALLER ADVICE

Someone at the door? Use the following advice to check who they are;

Make sure that your rear door and any other doors to the outside are locked before you approach the front door.

Think -Stop, Chain and Check

Are you expecting anyone? Keep the door locked and ask them who they are. Ask for the ID to be put through the letter box or shown at the window. Make a note of the representatives details (Record their name and the numbers shown on the front of the card) If they are claiming to be from your water company, call Severn Trent Water on 0800 783 4444 to verify the caller has definitely been sent by us. If you use our password protection scheme, ask the caller for the password. If they do not return to you with it, DO NOT LET THEM IN! - DO NOT ACCEPT EXCUSES FOR THEM NOT KNOWING THE PASSWORD Do not let them in if you do not believe they are genuine.

If you are in any doubt, keep everything locked, dial 999 and ask for the police. This has been produced and published by Severn Trent Water in conjunction with:

Nottinghamshire Police BBC Radio WM - Ed Doolan Show Staffordshire Police Derbyshire Constabulary Warwickshire Police Gloucestershire Constabulary West Mercia Constabulary Leicestershire Constabulary and West Midlands Police Nottinghamshire Police Warwickshire Police Staffordshire Police West Mercia Constabulary and West Midlands Police