MIDDLE TENNESSEE – Scammers are targeting utility business customers and threatening to shut off their power.

These fraudsters hit Murfreesboro businesses late 2013 and Nashville area businesses in 2014 and now the target of this scam is aimed at Clarksville business owners.

All it takes is a phone call and a convincing lie claiming to be from your local power/utility company. These phone scammers claim to be calling to notify you that your utility account is delinquent and electric service will be shut off within hours unless you pay NOW.

To add credibility to this scam, the scammers often use ‘spoofing’ technology that makes caller ID display the name and phone number of the local utility company.

It’s a despicable con that scares hard working business people into paying up to avoid customer inconvenience and the loss of business, says Kathleen Calligan, CEO BBB Middle TN.

The scammers refuse to take credit card or check by phone payments. Instead, the caller insist the payment must be made by loading a Green Dot Money Card purchased at local drugstores or other retail outlets. The scammer then calls back within hours asking for the account numbers on the back of the card.

DON’T FALL FOR IT!
An important feature of the Green Dot Money Pak card is that once the purchaser gives out the scratch off number on the back, a scammer can remotely access the cash and place it onto another cash load card and the money is instantly gone and virtually impossible to trace. All done anonymously, no going to the bank, or to Western Union and required to show identification. Once the scammers have the numbers, they have the money and they are gone.

PROTECT YOURSELF
Utility companies will never call and threaten immediate service disconnection. A lengthy process takes place; typically involving multiple written notices to the customer advising the account is delinquent.

If you are concerned about your account, call the utility company using a telephone number on an old bill or look the number up.
DO NOT USE THE NUMBER THAT IS ON YOUR CALLER ID