It seems like as good a time as any to once again remind everyone to beware of burglars posing as utility company workers.

The usual setup starts with a knock on the door. The person standing on your doorstep claims to work for the electric or gas company, telephone company, or some other utility. They tell you they are in your neighborhood working on some or other problem, or performing routine maintenance, and ask to be shown to your circuit breaker (or whatever piece of hardware makes sense). Often they’ll even look like a real utility company employee, with a clipboard, nametag and possibly even a uniform.

While you’re showing them to the circuit breaker-or-whatever, an accomplice you didn’t see slips into your house looking for valuables or money.

It doesn’t really matter which type of company they claim to represent, the important thing to remember is that if a utility provider is going to need access to the inside of your house (which they almost never will), they will contact you ahead of time. They will not show up unannounced.

If someone is at your door and you were not contacted in advance, ask to see a badge or official identification, which they should gladly provide. Then politely ask them to wait while you close your door, lock it, lock any other doors, and call the utility company to ask if they’ve sent people to your house. Whatever you do, don’t let them in or call them out on being a crook. This type of scam differs from most in that it involves actual, physical proximity to the perpetrators, which can put you in danger of bodily harm.

Utility worker scams often target senior citizens, so make sure your friends, family and neighbors are aware of this type of crime, what to watch for and how to respond.