Halloween might be over, but many people are still disguising themselves — not as clowns or pumpkins — but as scammers. Anyone with water, gas, and electricity connections has long been a target for utility scams. In today’s digital world, every swipe and click can increase the risk of potential scams.

Everyday people are disguising themselves as scammers and are trickier than ever, as they understand our increasing reliance on technology. Scammers have adapted their tactics to trick unsuspecting consumers through a variety of methods.

WIN Energy REMC wants to help you avoid energy scams, whether a financial loss or a leak of your personal information. This month, I would like to share some of the latest utility scams and tips to help you stay safe from even the craftiest scammers.

RECENT UTILITY SCAMS

Scammers typically disguise themselves physically or digitally as utility employees or representatives to steal consumers’ money or personal information. A common trick is to claim a consumer’s bill is past due and threaten to disconnect service if payment isn’t received immediately. Scammers approach consumers through various means, including phone calls, text messages, emails, and in-person visits.

For example, new capabilities disguising caller ID or “spoofing” can make the phone number you see on caller ID appear to be from a trusted source. Spoofing makes it easier for scammers to deceive you because it’s more difficult to verify the call immediately. Another recent scam uses fraudulent websites that are identical to a utility payment webpage — and what’s worse, these pages are often promoted on search engines to trick consumers into clicking and making a payment.

SPOTTING A SCAM

There are several red flags you can watch for to identify an energy scam.

Scammers often use high-pressure tactics to create a sense of urgency, such as claiming that your electricity or other services will be disconnected if you don’t make a payment immediately.

You have probably noticed that many digital scams, like emails or text messages, include poor grammar, spelling errors, and odd email addresses. These are red flags, so when you see these dodgy forms of communication, consider it a potential scam.

WHAT WIN ENERGY REMC WILL (AND WON’T) DO

WIN Energy REMC will never demand immediate payment or threaten to disconnect your service without prior notice or warning. We strive to resolve challenging situations and work with our members to avoid disconnects.

WIN Energy REMC employees will never take payments over the phone. You can only pay by phone by calling our Payment Express number at 888- 456-9876. Otherwise, you can pay via SmartHub, by mail, or in person at one of our three offices. If you are not able to see us from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, night deposit boxes are located outside our offices for your convenience.

AVOIDING SCAMS

If you’re in doubt about a potential energy scam, call us at 800-882-5140. WIN Energy REMC wants to help protect you from disguised scammers and utility fraud. You can create the first line of defense by notifying us about potential scams. We encourage you to report any possible scams so we can spread the word and prevent others in our community from falling victim.