There are some common tactics the scammers have to achieve in order to be effective. The primary one is to make you believe they represent Carbon Power and Light.. This can be done by programming their phone to show up as Carbon Power on your caller ID.

Secondly, they have to influence you to send funds in a hurry through a prepaid card. The caller threatens to cut off power if the customer doesn’t pay. Calls of this nature circulate across all utility customers, then abruptly cease, only to return again a few months later.

The following are some things to keep in mind when a caller threatens to shut off your power for a late or unpaid power bill:

• Do not assume the name and number on your caller ID are legitimate. Caller IDs can be spoofed.
• Never share your personal information, including date of birth, Social Security number, or banking account information.
• Never wire money to someone you don’t know.
• Do not click links or call numbers in unexpected emails or texts – especially those asking for your account information.
• Carbon Power and Light DOES NOT require their members to purchase prepaid debit cards or money orders to avoid an immediate disconnection.
• If you receive a call that sounds like it may be a scam, or if you believe the call is a scam, hang up, call law enforcement and report the incident to Carbon Power and Light..

Carbon Power members are encouraged to call our main office at 1-800-359-0249 to verify any electric service phone call that seems suspicious.

You can also help by alerting your family members and friends. Share the scammers’ tactics described in this article. You can also help raise awareness and warn others by reposting scam awareness information on social media; use the hashtag #stopscams.