Utility scam targets Lake Area residents
Summary
Consumer experts are warning residents not to fall for phone calls demanding payment for unpaid utility bills. “It’s a very popular scam this time of year, and they target consumers, and they also target businesses in a pretty big way,” […]
Consumer experts are warning residents not to fall for phone calls demanding payment for unpaid utility bills.
“It’s a very popular scam this time of year, and they target consumers, and they also target businesses in a pretty big way,” said Kelvin Collins, President, and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Central Georgia. “They rely on the fear factor, so when you hear that your power is about to be cut off, it kinda gets your attention.”
Facebook groups have been full of reports of people receiving calls from somebody claiming to be with Georgia Power. The caller demands that they pay a balance or risk having their power shut off.
Collins said Georgia Power and any other utility company would ensure that you know that you’re behind on your bill long before shutting your power off.
The Better Business Bureau says consumers should also be aware that the requested form of payment is a big red flag. You should never follow through if the caller demands that you pay with a prepaid debit card or gift card. Utility companies do not take payments in that form.
“It’s because those gift cards and prepaid debit cards are not traced,” Collins said. “So once you give them the numbers, that money is theirs, and you’ll never see it again.”
Collins says if you’re unsure if the call is real or just a scam, you should contact your utility company to check for an outstanding balance.
Experts have found most of these kinds of calls originate outside of the U.S., and scammers are often using “automatic dialers.”
“Caller ID is so easy to spoof that [the scammers are] able to utilize whatever number they want to in order to call in a local area code,” Collins said.
Visit BBB.org for more consumer tips and ways to report scams.