State officials are warning residents about a nationwide scam promising consumers a break on their utility bills.
The scammer tells the victim that there is a federal rebate program for utility bills and the consumer’s Social Security and bank routing numbers to needed process the payment to the utility company.
After turning the information over, the victims are given a fraudulent bank routing number to pay their utility bill through an automated telephone payment service.
Until the local utility company recognizes that bogus account numbers are being used, the payments are processed and initially credited to victims, who then receive payment confirmation notices.
Victims then share their success stories with family and friends, who also fall for the scam.
It is only later that the false payments are rescinded, leaving the costumer with the original bill. Now, the scammers have the victims’ information and stolen Social Security numbers and bank account information can then be used immediately or at a much later date or could be sold to others.
The federal program does not exist, the state Department of Consumer Protection warns, and providing this information to scammers puts you at risk of identity theft.
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Neither Connecticut Light & Power nor United Illuminating has received calls or complaints from customers, but the state Department of Consumer Protection has received two reports of the scam.
“At least two Connecticut consumers were contacted with the false message that President Obama is providing credits to utility bills,” Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein said in a news release. “These incidents coincide with reports from across the country that consumers are being scammed with the same promise, and having their identities stolen in the process.”
Nationwide, there have been 2,000 victims in the city of Tampa and at least 10,000 in New Jersey. Other victims have been reported in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and in some New England states, while utility companies in Utah and California reported similar scam epidemics earlier this year.
“This is yet another example of something being too good to be true, and I hope Connecticut consumers remain skeptical,” Rubenstein said. “Whether you receive a phone call, an email, a Facebook message, or even if someone comes knocking on your door with an offer to pay your utility bill, don’t fall for it. Protect your wallet, your social security number and your personal information by staying away from this or similar offers, and make sure to tell your friends and family as well.”
Penni Conner, Chief Customer Officer for Northeast Utilities, the parent company of Connecticut Light & Power, warns customers never to provide personal information such as an account number or Social Security number to any unsolicited caller.
“If you have any doubt regarding the authenticity of someone claiming to be a CL&P representative, we encourage you to call us immediately at 800-286-2000 to verify the information," Conner said.
“While we have not had any reported incidents of this activity to date, UIL encourages all electric and gas customers to be remain wary of information predators,” said UIL Holdings Director of Corporate Communications Michael A. West Jr. “Too many customers are taken advantage of by these frequently creative yet destructive scams.”
