Hanging up on scammers

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S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson and the state’s electric cooperatives are warning consumers to be on the lookout for sophisticated telephone scammers posing as utility employees.

The con artists often target the elderly, Spanish-speaking consumers and small-business owners with a false threat that the consumer’s electricity will be disconnected unless immediate payment is made over the phone. Victims are usually instructed to obtain a cash or gift card, then to call back and provide the card number to the scammer, Wilson says.

“They’re going to act like they want to help you, and they are going to call people who are susceptible to fear,” he says, comparing the con artists to “devils who appear as an angel of light.”

Wilson praised South Carolina’s electric cooperatives and other utility systems for their efforts to thwart the scams, but says consumers are the only ones who can stop it—by hanging up, then calling the co-op to report the call.

“Hang up immediately," Wilson says. "If the person on the other end of the phone is who they say they are, they will never mind you hanging up and calling a number that you got from the phone book or from your utility bill.”

Marti Phillips, director of identity theft unit at the S.C. Department Consumer affairs, says consumers should not rely on caller ID as proof of the caller’s identity.

“Caller ID can be spoofed, making it look like the caller is with the power company when they aren’t,” she says. “Beware high-pressure tactics. If the caller is asking for a wire transfer, or asking for payment by a prepaid debit card, that’s not how legitimate companies do business.”

Mike Couick, president and CEO of The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, says co-ops have seen a decrease in fraudulent calls since alerting members about the scam last fall, but warns that con artists may increase their activity during the holiday season.

“There’s no limit or cap on the sophisticated of these crooks,” he says. “They work hard on it. It’s unfortunate that the holidays are the chief time these scam artists work.”

Tips for spotting—and stopping—phone scams

  • Utilities will not ask customers to purchase prepaid cards for bill payment, so if someone calls and suggests that you buy a prepaid card to pay your bill, hang up immediately.
  • Scammers might suggest a specific, local store from which the customers can purchase the prepaid card.
  • Scammers may use the practice of caller ID “spoofing,” which causes the customer’s phone to display a false caller ID. Often, the scammer will “spoof” a local number, perhaps even using the utility’s standard customer service number.
  • If you have any doubt about the legitimacy of a caller, hang up immediately and call your co-op. For list of legitimate numbers, click here.
  • Never give out or confirm account numbers, account balances, Social Security numbers or passwords in response to an incoming call.
  • If you experience a scam call, report it to your co-op and local law enforcement.
  • To report a scam to the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs, call (800) 922-1594. Click here for more information on thwarting con artists.

Related stories

One woman’s story: A co-op member describes how she fell victim to a convincing scammer. 

Don’t get scammed: More tips for beating con artists.