TOP STORY OF THE DAY -Holidays: It's time for scammers to prey on utility customers

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Scammers are taking advantage of all forms of technology now a day.

It can be a postcard or letter, a phone call, a text, or an email, but scammers hope to catch you off guard when they get ahold of you.

The "utility scam" is an oldie making its rounds again in the community. A resident reported someone tried to scam her during a cellphone call Tuesday morning. She was angry, not because of the phone call, but because they almost tricked her into participating in the con.

"Unfortunately, over the last few years, particularly during the pandemic, Duke Energy and other utility companies have seen an increase in efforts to take advantage of utility customers and the financial challenges many have faced," said McKenzie Barbknecht of Duke Corporate Communications.

According to Duke Energy, a sample of a call from a scammer might sound like this:

"This is Duke Energy, and we are on our way to disconnect your service unless you pay us right now."

The type of communication or message may vary. Still, the intent is always the same – to take advantage of a caller experiencing financial problems or stealing their personal information.

It can be scary when a savvy, sophisticated, demanding, and threatening scammer calls.

If you receive one of these calls or texts, refrain from engaging the scammer. Hang up because Duke Energy and many other companies never call or texts customers demanding immediate payment to avoid disconnections.

Duke Energy's website, the mobile app, or customers can verify their accounts by calling the customer service line.

Remember: not all scams are trying to get money. Some are gathering information in preparation for stealing your identity, which can be even worse.

Scammers prey on households with tight budgets. They will inform customers of impending refunds due to overpaid utility bills; however, they need banking information to process the refund. They also may claim that immediate bill payment will result in a discount or a charitable donation can be made in exchange for a lesser bill.

Promises are often made to mail refund checks for overpayments on a customer's account if they can confirm their data, including birthdays and, in some cases, Social Security numbers.

"While we are proud of the progress we've made, our goal is to reduce the number of our customers falling victim to these scams even further," said Tiffany Dennison, Duke Energy's vice president of revenue services and metering. "As scammers become more sophisticated, we've become more committed to curbing the problem through educating our customers, engaging with the telecom and technology industries to remove access to phone lines and fraudulent online advertising, and advocating for stronger policies to protect customers."

What can you do?

If you suspect someone is trying to scam you, hang up and write down the phone number, time, and any other information you have. Then block that phone number, delete it, or the text.

The next step is to contact the utility immediately at the number on the most recent monthly bill or on the utility's official website, not the phone number the scammer provides.

You may be told to contact your local law enforcement agency.

If customers ever feel in physical danger, they should call 911.

Duke has the numbers

So far, in 2022, nearly 1,200 scam attempts have been reported to Duke Energy Indiana. Fortunately, less than 5% of individuals who reported a scam attempt in Indiana fell for it – a tremendous decrease from the 10% victimization rate from when the company first started tracking data in 2015.