The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers across the Suncoast about scammers posing as local water, electric and gas company representatives. These callers reach people by phone, text or even in person, claiming a payment is overdue and threatening immediate consequences. In many cases, caller ID is spoofed to display the name of the actual local utility, which makes the call look legitimate at first glance.
According to BBB spokesperson Josh Planos, the demand for immediate payment is the giveaway. Real utility companies never operate that way, and they never ask for gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers. If you get a call like this, hang up and dial the customer service number printed on a previous legitimate bill. If you paid by credit card, contact your card issuer right away to dispute the charge and keep copies of any documentation.
There’s also a door-to-door version of this scam. Never let an unexpected visitor inside without proper identification and a scheduled appointment. Seasonal residents and newcomers may be especially vulnerable since they may not know the local utility by name, so it helps to keep your most recent bill somewhere easy to find. Have you or someone you know received a suspicious utility call recently?
