State Rep. Tom Leonard
Local residents who are contacted by phone and told to make immediate payments to their utility company should be wary of a new telephone scam, cautions state Rep. Tom Leonard.
The scam involves callers claiming to be from the utility company, who contact residential and business customers and threaten to disconnect their electrical service unless immediate payment is made. The caller then instructs customers to send money through a prepaid card or online payment service, such as GreenDot or PayPal, in an attempt to defraud people. The scammer’s caller-ID is falsified so it appears to originate from the utility company.
Leonard advises any resident who receives a similar call to hang up and immediately call the utility company’s phone number – found on their monthly statement or online – to verify the earlier call was legitimate.
“Utility companies would not demand payment over the phone, so local residents should be cautious of any caller who does that,” said Leonard, R-DeWitt Township. “Unfortunately, these scams pop up occasionally, so it’s important to be aware of them. Being vigilant is the best defense against fraud attempts such as this.”
Leonard reminds residents that Michigan utility companies accept a variety of payment methods and are willing to work with customers to avoid shutoff.
Additional tips on avoiding utility fraud are available on the Michigan Public Service Commission website at www.michigan.gov/documents/mpsc/mpsc-ca_utilityservicefraud_211946_7.pdf?20131106132231 or by visiting the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov.