NEW ORLEANS (BNO NEWS) – BP on Saturday warned individuals and businesses about potential scams from door-to-door attempts by unauthorized individuals who seek personal information or are charging fees for safety training or other purposes in connection with the Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico oil spill response.

“There have been isolated reports of incidents in which individuals posing as BP employees have gone to people’s homes to scam residents,” Mike Utsler, Chief Operating Officer of BP’s Gulf Coast Restoration Organization, said. “We want the community to know that neither BP nor its claims agency go door-to-door to collect personal data. Any data required for the claims process, employment opportunities, or other matters is accepted only at BP claims centers and through authorized BP employees or representatives.”

He continued, saying that those seeking spill response jobs should know that neither BP nor its contractors are charging fees for any safety instruction or other training. Utlser noted that BP wants everyone along the coast to be safe from predatory or illegal actions that could diminish the restoration efforts that are underway.

BP instructed anyone that suspects fraudulent activity should call BP’s fraud hotline at 877-359-6281, and immediately contact local law enforcement authorities if you’re approached by anyone requesting personal information or payment while claiming to represent BP or the Deepwater Horizon response team.

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