The stories of Arizonans falling victim to utility scams are heartbreaking. As professional con artists evolve their tactics to steal, it’s more important than ever for customers to learn about scams and how to avoid them.
Nationwide, utilities have received increased reports of scammers contacting customers digitally while posing as utility workers to access financial information or obtain immediate payment by threatening service shutoffs.
Here are some of the digital ways scammers may contact you:
* Sponsored ads on search engines that lead to an identical, but fake, utility bill payment page.
* QR codes that scammers link to a false utility payment page.
* Texts from a scammer claiming to be a utility representative, with a link to an impostor website.
Common signs of a scam:
* Threat to disconnect. Scammers often contact customers claiming their utility bill is past due and service will be shut off unless payment is made right away.
* Demand for immediate payment. Scammers often pressure customers to make payments immediately or face disconnection.
* Request for a prepaid card. Con artists often instruct victims to purchase a prepaid card such as Green Dot, MoneyPak or Vanilla at a nearby store, and then call them back. The scammer then asks for the card and PIN number, which grants instant access to the card’s funds. In just a few seconds, the victim’s money is gone.
Ways to Protect Yourself:
* Never purchase a prepaid card. Arizona utilities never require payment via a prepaid debit card, gift card or form of cryptocurrency.
* Don’t fall for threats. Slow down. Scammers typically try to rush customers by threatening immediate utility shut-off. Customers with delinquent accounts receive multiple notifications well in advance – never a single notice one hour or less before disconnection.
* Call your utility to verify. If there is ever a question about the validity of an email, website or person claiming to be a utility representative, call your utility directly to confirm. Never use the call-back phone number provided by the email, website or person in question to verify billing or account information. Also, some phone scammers can mirror the actual name and number of your utility on your caller ID – a technique known as ‘spoofing’. It might look real, but don’t fall for it.
* Call 911. Customers should call 911 if they ever feel they are in physical danger.
