Electricity and Gas Scams in Rome: How to Protect Yourself from Phone and Door-to-Door Sellers
Contract switched without your knowledge? You have 14 days to cancel everything, free of charge. The guide to spotting scams, blocking calls, and getting your original supplier back.
In a nutshell
Since Italy's electricity and gas market was liberalised, many salespeople call or ring doorbells promising savings. Most operate legitimately, but some use deceptive tactics to switch your supplier without genuine consent. The practice has a specific name — contratto non richiesto (unsolicited contract): your supplier is changed without you having signed anything valid. Your three main protections are: the Registro delle Opposizioni (the public opt-out register for marketing calls), the 14-day right to cancel any contract without giving a reason, and the free ARERA procedure to get your original supplier back if the switch has already happened.
At a glance
| Cost | Registering with the Registro delle Opposizioni: free. Sportello Consumatore Energia: free. Polizia Postale report: free. Cancellation within 14 days: free. |
| Timeline | Registro delle Opposizioni: active within 15 days. Cancellation: within 14 days of signing. Seller response to complaint: 40 days. ARERA reinstatement: 40 days from report. |
| Where in Rome | Polizia Postale Lazio: Via di San Vitale 15. Adiconsum Lazio: Via Po 162. Federconsumatori Lazio: Via Buonarroti 12. |
| Documents | Most recent bill, copy of contract (if received), proof of recorded mail or PEC (Italy's certified email — legally equivalent to recorded delivery) complaint |
How to recognise a scam
The most common scams follow a recognisable pattern. Knowing the signs is the first step to not falling for them.
At your door. The person presents themselves as "a technician from ENEL", "from ACEA", or even "from the Energy Authority". No technician comes to your home to check your bill — technicians carry out meter readings and technical maintenance, they don't sell contracts. ARERA (Autorità di Regolazione per Energia Reti e Ambiente — Italy's energy regulator) does not do door-to-door visits and sells nothing. If someone presents themselves that way, they are a salesperson after your POD code (electricity meter ID), your PDR code (gas meter ID), your personal details, and your IBAN — which together are enough to activate a contract in your name without your knowledge.
On the phone. The caller speaks quickly, asks vague questions to collect "yes" answers, and suggests a "voice confirmation" recording. Once you say "yes" in a clearly audible way, that recording can be treated as contractual consent. Callers often claim to represent your current supplier, but are actually working for a different company or an intermediary call centre.
Warning signs: pressure to decide immediately, refusal to let you keep a copy of the contract, requests for sensitive data "just for verification", promises of unrealistic savings of 50% or more.
What to do during the contact
If someone comes to your door. Don't open if you're not expecting anyone. If you do open, don't let them in and don't show them your bill. Don't sign anything — not even an "information form". Ask for their full name, ID number, and the legal company name they represent (not just the advertising brand). If they persist, say you'll think about it, take the leaflets, and close the door.
If you receive a sales call. If the number isn't in your contacts, don't pick up. If you do answer, avoid saying "yes" to the opening questions ("Can you hear me?", "Am I speaking with Mr/Ms X?") — respond with a neutral "Hello" or "Good morning". Ask immediately for the company's legal name. Say clearly: "I'm not interested, please don't call me again." By law they must add you to their internal do-not-call list.
Recording the call. In Italy you are legally allowed to record a conversation you are part of, without notifying the other party. The recording can be used as evidence before ARERA or the Garante Privacy (Italy's data-protection authority). Use a call-recording app and save the file.
The right to cancel: 14 days to undo everything
If you signed a contract at home, on the phone, or via email, the Codice del Consumo (Consumer Code, D.Lgs. 206/2005, artt. 52–58) gives you 14 days to cancel it with no cost and no explanation required. The clock starts from the moment the contract is concluded. If the seller failed to inform you of this right, the deadline extends to 12 months and 14 days.
To cancel, send a PEC or recorded mail (raccomandata A/R) to the selling company within 14 days. The minimum text is: "I hereby give notice of cancellation of the contract signed on [date] for the supply of [electricity/gas]. Contract reference: [code]. [Name, surname, Codice Fiscale (Italian tax ID), address, date, signature]." Keep proof of postage.
Unsolicited contract: how to get your original supplier back
If you discover from a bill that your supplier has changed without you ever having signed anything, act immediately in three steps.
Step 1 — Written complaint to the seller. Send a PEC or recorded mail stating that the contract is unsolicited, demanding reinstatement of your previous supplier, and requesting reversal of any bills already issued. The seller has 40 days to respond.
Step 2 — Sportello per il Consumatore Energia. If the seller doesn't respond or rejects your complaint, open a procedure with ARERA through the Sportello per il Consumatore Energia (Energy Consumer Helpdesk), run by Acquirente Unico. Freephone: 800 166 654 (Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 8am–1pm). The procedure covers free reinstatement of your previous supplier, cancellation of wrongful charges, and an automatic compensation payment as set out in ARERA regulations.
Step 3 — ARERA conciliation. For complex disputes, a mandatory conciliation attempt is required before going to court, via the platform servizioconciliazione.arera.it.
Do not pay bills from the unsolicited supplier to "avoid trouble": dispute them in writing and open the ARERA procedure immediately.
Block the calls: Registro delle Opposizioni
The Registro Pubblico delle Opposizioni (Italy's public opt-out register) blocks marketing calls from call centres, on both landlines and mobile numbers (extended to mobiles in 2022). Registration is free — you can do it online with SPID (Italy's digital identity for public services) or CIE (Italy's electronic ID card), or by calling the freephone number 800 957 766 (from landline) or 06 42986411 (from mobile).
Fifteen days after registration, companies must remove your number from their lists. If you still receive calls, report them to the Garante Privacy — fines for companies reach up to €20 million or 4% of global turnover. Registering also cancels any consents you may previously have given on competition entry forms or promotional leaflets.
Mistakes to avoid
- Signing an "information form" at the door. It's often a real contract. Never sign anything until you've read it at home, in your own time.
- Saying "yes" on the phone out of politeness. A voice recording can serve as contractual consent. Use neutral phrases or simply end the call.
- Giving your POD, PDR, IBAN, and Codice Fiscale to strangers. These four pieces of data together are enough to activate a contract in your name.
- Thinking you can't go back once you've signed. You always have 14 days to exercise your right to cancel, free of charge.
- Paying bills from the unsolicited supplier. Don't pay them: dispute them in writing and immediately open the ARERA procedure via the Sportello per il Consumatore Energia.
Special cases
You signed but then lost the contract. You can still cancel: the seller is legally required to give you a copy. Ask for it in writing.
Bills from the new supplier have already arrived. Act within 14 days if you're still within the cancellation window; otherwise go straight to the ARERA unsolicited-contract procedure.
The caller says they're calling on behalf of your current supplier. End the call and contact your supplier directly using the number on their official website or your bill to verify.
You're elderly or have difficulty with Italian. Consumer associations offer free or low-cost assistance: Adiconsum Lazio (Via Po 162, tel. 06 86202814), Federconsumatori Lazio (Via Buonarroti 12, tel. 06 4825849), Codacons (Viale Mazzini 73, tel. 06 3725809), UNC (Via Duilio 13, tel. 06 3269531).
You want to report the scam. For phone fraud and identity theft, you can file an online report with the Commissariato di Polizia Postale or go in person to the Polizia Postale Lazio: Via di San Vitale 15, 00184 Roma, tel. 06 46861.
Official sources
- ARERA — Sportello per il Consumatore Energia
- Sportello per il Consumatore Energia
- ARERA — Unsolicited contracts
- Registro Pubblico delle Opposizioni
- Commissariato di PS Online — Polizia Postale
- Garante Privacy — Telemarketing
- AGCM — Competition and Market Authority
- ARERA Conciliation Service
Legal references: D.Lgs. 206/2005 (Consumer Code, artt. 49–67); D.Lgs. 21/2014 (Directive 2011/83/EU); DPR 178/2010 and DPR 149/2018 (Registro Pubblico Opposizioni); DM 27/01/2022 (extension of RPO to mobile numbers); Delibera ARERA 366/2018/R/com (Commercial conduct code); Delibera ARERA 228/2017/R/com (reinstatement for unsolicited contracts); Legge 5/2018 (telemarketing protections); Regolamento UE 2016/679 (GDPR).