The Waynesboro Police Department is warning local residents, especially business owners, to be aware of yet another phone scam involving calls threatening to cut off electricity. This is a common scam that occurs in the Shenandoah Valley area every few months. Recently, three local hotels were called by a person pretending to be a representative of Dominion Virginia Power. The caller explained to the victims that their business was delinquent on the business’ electric bill, threatening immediate suspension of electricity if the account is not paid. The caller states that if payment is made immediately using a credit card, then there will be no interruption in service. The caller is quite persuasive.
The Waynesboro Police Department recommends that callers who receive similar calls to be practice caution and follow the below guidelines provided by the Federal Trade Commission:
- Resist pressure to take action immediately.
- Keep your credit card, checking account, or Social Security numbers to yourself. Don’t tell them to callers you don’t know — even if they ask you to “confirm” this information. That’s a trick.
- Don’t send cash by messenger, overnight mail, or money transfer. If you use cash or a money transfer — rather than a credit card — you may lose your right to dispute fraudulent charges. The money will be gone.
- Report any caller who is rude or abusive, even if you already sent them money. They’ll want more. Call 1-877-FTC-HELP or visit ftc.gov/complaint.
Or go to this link – http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0076-phone-scams