HUNTSVILLE — It’s a shame there has to be an awareness day for utility scams.
But here we are.
Today is National Utility Scam Awareness Day, when utilities across the country unite to remind the public about scams targeting utility customers.
Needless to say, fighting these scams is a constant battle and the scams are likely to increase as the holiday season approaches.
The scammers also primarily target the elderly, those who are not tech savvy, and those who do not speak English as their primary language.
According to Huntsville Utilities, one of the most common utility scams is known as “Disconnection Deception.”
In this scam, the customer receives a phone call from a person claiming to be from their utility company, informing them their service is about to be cut off due to non-payment. The caller states the only way to prevent disconnection is to pay them over the phone with bitcoin, prepaid gift cards, a third-party app, or by giving them their bank or credit card numbers.
Huntsville Utilities said it never calls or threatens customers with imminent disconnection. The utility does not accept payments through those methods. Customers can always check the status of an account by calling 256-535-1200, or through the My Account section of the Huntsville Utilities website – www.hsvutil.org.
Anyone who suspects they have been the victim of a scam should immediately contact their financial institution and local law enforcement.
Additional information about scam prevention can be found on the Huntsville Utilities website and at UtilitiesUnited.org.
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