Greg's Corner

Record heatwave brings out shut off scams

By Greg Collier

With most of the country experiencing record-breaking heatwaves, we probably don’t have to tell you that 2023 is on its way to being the hottest year in recorded history. So, leave it to the scammers to use the sweltering heat to intimidate their victims into giving them money. While shut-off scams are common during this time of year, scammers are now packing a one-two punch of shut-off scams.

Shut off scams typically depend on weather extremes. They tend to hit during blizzards and cold snaps, or punishing heatwaves. In the shut-off scam, scammers will pose as the power company when calling their victims. The scammers threaten their victims with having their electric service terminated for a past due balance. Victims are then told their service will be turned off in 15-30 minutes if a payment isn’t made immediately. Scammers will ask for payment in unusual means such as gift cards, but we’ve seen instances where victims are directed to make payment at Bitcoin ATMs.

However, this summer we’re seeing another shut-off scam in addition to the power shut-off scam. Scammers are also posing as the local water company while threatening to shut off service. Being threatened with having your water turned off may even be more intimidating than having your electricity turned off. Then again, some homes can’t even have their water function without electricity. So, either way, this scam could be a nightmare for any consumer.

It’s easy to protect yourself from this scam if you know about it. Utility companies, such as power and water, never call their customers and only give them a 15-minute warning before service is terminated. That should be the first red flag. Typically, utility companies will send several warnings in the mail before terminating service. Secondly, utility companies will never have you make payments to them in gift cards, cryptocurrency, or payment apps like Zelle and Venmo.

If you receive a phone call like this, hang up. Don’t give the caller any personal information, even if they seem to know who you are. Then call your local utility to verify your account is in good standing.