Consumers have long been targets for utility scams, but in today’s digital world, every swipe and click increases the risk.
Scammers are more sophisticated than ever before, and with their sharpened digital knives, criminals have adapted their tactics to trick unsuspecting consumers and bleed your wallet dry.
Magic Valley Electric Cooperative wants to help you avoid energy scams, whether a financial loss or leak of personal information. This month, I’d like to share updates on some the latest utility scams we’re seeing as well as tips to help you avoid getting ripped off.
Recent Rip-offs
Scammers typically disguise themselves—either physically or digitally—as utility employees or representatives to steal consumers’ money or personal information. A common trick is to claim a consumer’s bill is past due and threaten to disconnect service if payment isn’t received immediately.
Scammers approach consumers through a variety of means, including phone calls, text messages, emails and even in-person visits.
Spoofing can make the phone number you see on caller ID appear to be from a trusted source, making it difficult to immediately verify the call.
Another scam uses fraudulent websites that are identical to a utility payment site—and these pages are often promoted on search engines to trick consumers into clicking and making a payment.
Posing as a contact who claims you overpaid your bill and that you’ll receive a cash or banking refund is another approach. This offer may seem too good to be true, and it is—it’s likely a scam aimed to steal your personal information.
Spotting a Scam
Scammers often use high-pressure tactics to create a sense of urgency, like claiming your electricity or other services will be disconnected if a payment isn’t made immediately.
Additionally, scammers may ask for unusual payment methods such as gift cards or cryptocurrency. If someone is pushing for such a payment method, it’s likely a scam.
You’ve probably noticed that many digital scams, like emails or text messages, include poor grammar, misspellings and odd email addresses. These are red flags, so when you see these dodgy forms of communication, consider it a potential scam.
What We Won’t Do
MVEC will never demand an instant, immediate payment or threaten to disconnect your service without prior notices or warnings. We strive to resolve challenging situations and work with our members to avoid disconnects.
MVEC will never ask for your Social Security number or banking details over the phone or through email. We offer several secure payment options, including in-person, through magicvalley.coop and MVEC MOBILE APP, and by calling (866) 225-5683.
Avoiding Scams
Whether in person, over the phone or online, always be suspicious of anyone claiming to be a MVEC employee requesting banking or other personal information.
If you’re ever in doubt about a potential energy scam, just give us a quick call at (866)225-5683. We want to help protect you from utility frauds, and, by notifying us about potential scams, you can create the first line of defense. Then, we can spread the word and prevent others in our community from falling victim.
