Utility scams: “your power will be shut off in 30 minutes”
A caller or text from your “utility company” says service will be cut off within the hour unless you pay now.
Could you spot it?
2 quick examples. Decide scam or legit for each.
How it works
The caller sounds professional and knows your address. You're behind on your bill, they say, and a crew is on its way to disconnect you unless you pay immediately, by prepaid card, payment app or crypto. Businesses get the same calls during busy hours.
Utilities send written notices before disconnecting service, and they take payment through their regular billing channels.
Red flags
- A shutoff threat within the hour, with no written notice before it.
- Payment by prepaid card, payment app, gift card or crypto.
- A caller who won't let you hang up and call back.
What it looks like
It's a busy Friday afternoon at the bakery you own.
Caller: This is the disconnection department at Riverside Power & Light. Your account is two months past due, and a technician is on the way to shut off service in the next 45 minutes.
Caller: To stop the disconnection, you'll need to pay $1,374.20 right now. We can take it through a payment app or a prepaid card. Do you want me to stay on the line while you get one?
The tells:
- A shutoff in 45 minutes, with no written notice before it.
- Payment by payment app or prepaid card.
- Keeping you on the line.
A training example written for this site. Names, numbers and links are made up, and links are disabled.
What to do
- Hang up and call the number on your actual bill or the utility's official website.
- Check your balance in your account or on your last statement.
If you already paid or shared information
- Contact the company you used to pay (your bank, card company, gift card company, payment app or wire service) right away and ask them to reverse the payment.
- If you shared a password, change it now and turn on two-factor authentication.
- If you gave out your Social Security number or other ID details, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For scams that happened online, you can also report to the FBI at ic3.gov.
From FTC: What to do if you were scammed.
Latest alerts about this scam
- FTC ·Searching online: bill pay impersonators
Planning to pay a bill online? Before you start searching for a company’s payment site, know that dishonest companies sometimes use paid search ads to trick you into paying them instead of the company.
Sources
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