'It would sound legitimate to any of us!': COVID-19 utility scam
'It would sound legitimate to any of us!': COVID-19 utility scam
Our Call 4 Action Office just received a call from a Milwaukee woman who is out about $2,000 from a “We Energies Imposter Scam.”
OUR CONTINUING REPORTS, "THEREBOUND MILWAUKEE," WE WANT TOSHARE RESOURCES TO HELP PEOPLEMAKE ENDS MEET.OUR "CALL 4ACTION OFFICE" JUST RECEIVED ACALL FROM A MILWAUKEE WOMAN,WHO IS OUT TWO-THOUSANDDOLLARS FROM A "WE ENERGIESIMPOSTER SCAM."JULIA FELLOSHOWS US THE ELABORATE WAYCROOKS SOUND LIKE THE REALTHING.THE PHONE RINGS.THE PERSON ONTHE OTHER END IS YOUR UTLITYCOMPANY, THREATENING TO CUTOFF YOUR POWER.TO STOP THEM,YOU HAVE TO CALL BACK AN 800NUMBER.WITH THE PRESSURE TOMAKE ENDS MEET MOUNTING ...YOU CALL THE NUMBER.the callereven answered it stating theyare with we energies and shepushed a button and she talkedto a person it would soundlegitimate to any of us!KARENSTILES WITH OUR CALL FOURACTION OFFICE, TALKED TO AVICTIM OF THIS IMPOSTER SCAM.ONE THAT WE ENERGIES IS VERYFAMILIAR WITH.they arespoofing us by usingrecordings they are usingphone numbers that are similarto ours she sounded like avery intelligent lady thiscould have been you or I thatcould have been caught in thistype of scamTHE VICTIM TOLDOUR "CALL 4 ACTION" OFFICE THESCAMMERS TOLD HER TO BUYPREPAID DEBIT CARDS TO PAY HERBILL.
SHE DID THIS SEVERALTIMES.and she ended up losingquite a bit of money?
: it wasclose to 2,000 dollarsWEENERGIES SAYS IT WOULD NEVERTHREATEN TO TURN OFF YOURPOWER WITHIN MINUTES IF YOUDON'T PAY A BILL.
IN FACT AMORATORIUM ON SHUTTING OFFPOWER WILL REMAIN IN EFFECTUNTIL THIS PANDEMIC IS OVER.BUT THIS VICTIM, IS NOT ALONE.in the month of April we had200 scam reports just in thefirst week of may we hadnearly 100 reportsWE REACHEDOUT TO THE VICTIM FOR ANINTERVIEW, BUT SHE DID NOTRETURN OUR CALLS.
MONICAMARTINEZ WITH WATCHDOG GROUP"UTILITIES UNITED AGAINSTSCAMS" SAYS THE VICTIM DID THERIGHT THING TO REACH OUT TO ANAGENCY THAT CAN WORK TOGETHER--let the toll free numberprovider know that number isbeing used for scams and sovery often were able to goahead and shut down that numberHERE'S YOUR REBOUND RUNDOWN:WEENERGIES WILL NEVER CALLTHREATENING TO TURN OFF YOURPOWER WITHIN MINUTESAND ITWON'T REQUIRE PAYMENT VIAPREPAID DEBIT CARDSIF YOUSUSPECT A SCAM, HANG UP ANDCALL WE ENERGIES AT800-242-9137MAKE SURE TO KEEP YOUR GUARDUP EVEN AFTER THE PANDEMIC ISOVER.
SCAMMERS ARE READY TOSEND YOU AN URGENT MESSAGETHAT YOU ARE PAST DUE ON YOURBILLS, ONCE THE MORATORIUM ONPAYING UTILITY BILLS ISLIFTED.
JULIA FELLO TMJ4 NEWS.WE HAVE A LIST OF ADVOCACYGROUPS OFFERING FINANCIALASSISTANCE.WE ALSO HAVE DIRECTLINKS TO REACH OUT TO AGENCIESWHO ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ONSHUTTING DOWN THESE SCAMMERS.FIDN THOSE AT TMJ4 DOT COMSLASH REBOUND AND CLICK ON"MANAGING THE PRESSURE."
