Energy Adviser: Beware of tricksters trying to spook you

It’s the time of year when spooky fun lurks around every corner. But some scares are no joke and sadly some tricks are just that — illegal scams. Thieves can be very convincing and utility bill payment scams are getting increasingly sophisticated. So this year, dress up as a detective and make sure not to fall for these tricks.

Phone scams

Recently, Clark Public Utilities has received reports of a new wave of utility payment scams. In the past, it was common for scammers to call, state that a utility bill was overdue and demand payment to avoid immediate disconnection. The call would come through a spoofing site that can make the number appear to be from Clark Public Utilities on caller ID. Often the scammer would tell a customer to hang up, purchase a pre-paid gift card like a Green Dot card from a drug store, and call the number provided to make the payment. When calling the number provided, a recording sounding very similar to the utility’s phone greeting would play. All of this can be very convincing. But it’s a scam. Anyone who receives a call like this should hang up immediately and call the utility at 360-992-3000 to check the status of the account.

“Payment scams have evolved over time and continue to be more specific and more convincing,” said Erica Erland, Clark Public Utilities spokesperson. “Scammers will also target certain types of businesses at once, and time the calls for busy times such as a Friday evening for brewpubs or restaurants, or closing time for a dry cleaner or tanning salon. So it’s important for business owners to be aware and to alert their employees and closing managers to these scams.”

Customers have also reported that the callers may reference construction at the downtown Clark Public Utilities location as a reason why payment must be made over the phone. This is also false. While there is work being done at the Fort Vancouver Way location to improve accessibility and safety, a temporary customer service lobby is open in the Community Room on the south side of the building, and the drive-through is also available. Hours can be found at ClarkPublicUtilities.com.

While the utility will sometimes call customers with high account balances or unpaid bills to request payment or offer to make payment arrangements, any customer who is confused or concerned that the call may not be legitimate should hang up and call the utility back at 360-992-3000.

Scammers at the door

In addition to phone scams, reports have been made about people posing as Clark Public Utilities employees and demanding payment at a customer’s door. Often the scammer will ask that the customer purchase a pre-paid gift card, similar to the phone scams. This is a tell-tale sign that the payment request is a scam. Additionally, utility employees will always be in marked Clark Public Utilities vehicles, be wearing utility clothing and will have proper identification. If you have any question at all, close the door and call the utility at 360-992-3000 to confirm that a visit to your home is scheduled. Any utility employee will understand this response and wait outside while you call customer service. If you are approached by anyone falsely claiming to be a utility employee, call 911 if you are in immediate danger, or 311 to make a non-emergency report to law enforcement.

“Above all else, we want our customers to be safe and to never let strangers into their homes,” Erland said. “Especially unfortunate is the targeting of elderly and non-English speaking customers, so we ask friends and neighbors to please help spread the word to members of our community who may be more at risk for scams.”

Any customer who has a question about calls or visits related to utility payments should call 360-992-3000 to check their account status. Clark Public Utilities customer service representatives are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year long.

Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.