| member matters W


hen a scammer called Florida pet clinic operator Cindy Evers last year and


demanded immediate payment on an overdue electric bill, it sounded real.


“They knew my account number and gave me a figure that I owed that’s close to what I usually pay on my electric bill,” Evers said. She paid, even though, in the back of her mind, she knew her payment wasn’t late.


“I have pets under sedation, and I’m taking care of animals. I think I just panicked, thinking they were going to shut my electricity off. I did what they told me to do.”


Evers lost $900 because the call was a scam.


The scam that duped Evers has been plaguing utility consumers across North America for several years, robbing them of millions.


Now, utilities are fighting back.


Recently, more than 80 utilities and energy industry organizations from across the U.S. and Canada joined forces to recognize the first-ever North American Utilities United Against Scams Day on November 16, 2016.


Electric co-ops have increased their communication efforts, sending information directly to members and encouraging local TV stations and


How Choctaw Electric Members Can Help


•


Alert your family members and friends about utility scams. Share the scammers’ tactics described in this article or those you have heard about.


• Raise awareness and warn


others by reposting scam information on social media; use the hashtag #stopscams.


4 | FEBRUARY 2017 | CEC Inside Your Co-op Raising Awareness About SCAMS


"We want our members to notify us immediately if they get a suspicious phone call, email or if someone comes to their door posing as a co- op employee," says Jia Johnson, CEC director of public relations. "When they let us know, we can warn others."


Even the wariest consumers can be duped, however, and scammers are developing new tactics every day.


The “past due” scam, similar to the one Florida customer Evers experienced, goes something like this: A customer gets a call from an 800-number that looks like a valid utility company phone number. Widely available spoofing software allows crooks to display what appears to be an official number on caller IDs. The caller threatens to cut off power if the customer doesn’t pay.


Electric co-ops and other utilities fight back to protect consumers


newspapers to warn citizens about the scam, how it works and what people should do and not do, if they are ever targeted.


Choctaw Electric reports no scam attempts within the past two years, but they remain vigilant.


• Report scam attempts to Choctaw Electric immediately at 800-780-6486, so we can issue a warning to other members.


• Report the scam using the Better Business Bureau's scam tracker at www.bbb. org/scamtracker/us. The information is shared with law enforcement officials for use in identifying and prosecuting scammers.


But here’s the giveaway: The crook will demand payment via a prepaid debit card or money order. And he’ll ask for it within a specified time frame—often an hour or less.


The scammer may quote an amount that sounds like your typical monthly bill or mention other details about the customer's local area or utility. This make the scammer appear more credible.


Scammers usually direct the customer to a specific store nearby that sells prepaid cards and instructs them to put money on the card and provide the card number to the scammer.


Some scammers are bold enough to contact potential victims in person, in some cases, even coming to the consumer's house.


Here are some tips on how to protect yourself:


• Do not assume the name and number on your caller ID are legitimate. Caller IDs are easily spoofed.


• Never share your personal information, including date of birth, Social Security number or banking account information.


Cont'd


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