More than $300,000 lost in Duke Energy power disconnection scam
If you get a call or voicemail that your power will be shut off, be on guard as it could be all a scam to get your money.
According to Duke Energy, their customers have lost nearly $316,000 to this scam since the beginning of this year.
This week is Utility Scam Awareness Week and the company is sharing how scammers continue to become more sophisticated so it's important for you to be alert and ready to spot scams.
The scammers manipulate their caller ID to make it appear they are calling from the utility company. They will tell you they will disconnect your service today if an immediate payment is not made. They will request payment via prepaid debit or credit cards or also ask you to wire the money.
Duke Energy says they never ask or require a customer with a delinquent account to purchase a prepaid debit card to avoid disconnection, and customers with delinquent accounts receive an advance disconnection notification from Duke Energy with the regular monthly billing - never a single notification quickly before disconnection.
If you do get this call and are concerned, hang up and call the number on your utility bill, not the number that the scammer gives you.
