EV Charging Scams: Protect Your Wallet With These Strategies

EV Charging Scams: Protect Your Wallet With These Strategies– by Jordan Rosenfeld

Millions of Americans are switching to electric vehicles (EVs), and many more may come on board as the cost of gas remains high. While EVs bring many benefits and more car manufacturers are adding them to their fleets, these cars are prone to charging scams, since many people must use chargers away from home.

Here are some common EV charging scams and how you can protect yourself against them.

EV Network Subscription Scams

It’s an exciting moment for new EV owners when you realize that you’re now part of a community of EV drivers and enthusiasts with whom you can connect and learn about tips, charging stations, discounts and much more.

But scammers are ready to take advantage of the new owner through false offers for various network subscriptions, according to the Easy Charging blog. You might receive a fake offer through email, a fake website, social media marketing or other seemingly legitimate avenues.

Some red flags to watch out for include prices that are too good to be true, pressure to purchase or requests for your personal information. Stick with tried-and-true services, perhaps those offered through your dealership or the car’s maker instead.

Charging Station QR Code Scams

Another scam is to tamper with a legitimate EV charging station QR code or create a fake one that looks like a legitimate one.

Counterfeit codes may be placed over the original ones at charging stations or come through an email that leads to a fake website. Most often you’ll be redirected to a site that will take your credit card and other personal information.

Compare the QR codes on several charging docks at a particular station and see whether they all look the same. Pay attention to any signs of tampering or stickers that look suspicious. If the link takes you to a different site or company name than you expect, consider going elsewhere.

Phishing Scams

Phishing is a form of sending fraudulent emails, texts or other kinds of messages and links that redirect a user to a site other than where they intended to go, or which captures personal and financial information.

Be wary of any message you receive from an EV network, manufacturer or other source if it comes with a sense of urgency, such as a claim that your account is at risk of suspension, or a too-good-to-be-true offer of any kind. Hesitate before you click any link unless you are sure it’s the real deal. And never enter your personal information until you have verified that the link is legitimate. Sometimes these kinds of communications will have misspellings or use unusual fonts or logos that don’t look quite right.

Hacking EV Stations

Things that rely on digital connections are ultimately vulnerable to hacking. EV charging stations are no exception.

Ravi Lingarkar, vice president of product management at Akitra, wrote on LinkedIn: “Without uniform cybersecurity standards, EV charging stations can become easy targets for hackers. It’s like enabling anyone to bring their own device to the grid.”

So, while it may be difficult to know whether your charging station has been hacked, if you stick to the same ones time after time and note any changes or discrepancies in the service before you put in credit card information, you may be able to avid trouble.

By sticking to charging stations and their apps and networks that you know are legitimate and never giving out personal information without being sure of where it’s going, you can save yourself money and hassles.