Scam Alert

[smithjcsdfw]

Hey folks.   Just saw a new report about a new scam working it's way across the country.  You get a call from somebody posing to be the Utility Co and they are about to cut off your service unless you pay them.  They give you instructions to go get a pre paid credit card and than call back to get the credit card number.  Be careful no utility CO I know of operates that way.

[schoolvan]

It is sad to see this stuff but some people well fall for it like the older people. But if you know you are up to date you should be fine. 

[annettefayeroach]

Sad. Should be a special place for scammers of kind. Scamming people is just not right.

[moonangel]

that is so awful I am so tired of having to constantly be aware of all the scammers I do have a bit of a funny story the rumor here in town was that a guy was selling childrens books door to door then kidnapping the kids driving a white car... well a couple of days later wouldn't you know a young man driving a white car selling childrens books knocked at my sons house thankfully he didn't beat the guy up but he bawled him out guy style ,of course, while my dil called the police station only to find out that the guy was registered to sell books in our town.

[Sendmicheck]

It is sad that people would stoop so low to get money.  The utility company  send a disconnection notice in the mail and not over the telephone.

[melissajh44]

Thanks for the heads up. I hate scams.

[countrygirl12]

Hey folks.   Just saw a new report about a new scam working it's way across the country.  You get a call from somebody posing to be the Utility Co and they are about to cut off your service unless you pay them.  They give you instructions to go get a pre paid credit card and than call back to get the credit card number.  Be careful no utility CO I know of operates that way.

Wow.  This is happening in my small home town.  I thought it was just here.  I honestly can't believe people fall for this stuff.

[kqa]

The sad thing is that people do actually for these types of scams. It's very sad. Knock on wood - it hasn't happened to me yet!

[nannycoe1]

I worry about my mother who is 80 getting these kinds of calls. She calls me at least once a week telling me about someone who has called her about one thing or another. I had her # put on a do not call list a while back but it still happens.

[makeblessed]

Yes we all need to be careful, in my area folks  knock on doors claiming if they see our utility bill, they can show us how to reduce our cost and lower bill; local news says a scam you show them your bill; then they have your personal information, so I don't bother to answer the door just call condo association and report them! There are all kinds of scams out there; we just have to stay aware. My mom is elderly, but she does not trust anyone when she gets calls or knocks she tells them she is contacting local authories! have her on the do not call lists, but some how calls still seem to come through.

[kerseycarol]

yes please be careful their are a lot of scammers out their

[lvstephanie]

What sad about this particular scam is that in this economy there probably are a bunch of people that may be late on paying their utility bill, so it is more likely that they will fall for this scam.

My grandmother used to get caught by all of the charity "scams"... She'd get letters in the mail for some non-profit organization that had a nice sounding name, and she'd donate money to them. When my dad finally found out about what was happening, he found out that although most of these were technically legal, they had a very low percentage of the money going to the actual charity work; the rest of the money was "administrative costs" (which usually means that it lines the pockets of the people running the charity). He had to explain to her that not all charities are the same, and to talk with him (so he could do research on the organization) before she donated money to some charity.

[minioncookies]

That's not a shocker at all. There have been lots of these throughout the many years on this earth. Everyday they come up with something new..What a shame they could be using that talent for something usefull instead of tricking people for money and probably spending at least a month in jail if they are busted. The world is so crazy. Thanks for the heads up

[gaylasue]

It is unbelievable what people will do to steal others out of their hard earned money.  I read every day about new ways people have come up with to scam others. 

[drpybutt]

I got a call similar to that but I won some kind of sweepstakes.  They wanted me to get a prepaid card and put $500 on it and  call tem back. Guess what - I never called them back