Phone scam — members beware!

Word is spreading across the electric co-op world of a billing scam that some co-op's are dealing with. So far, none of Cullman EC's members have reported such an incident, but we wanted to share this with everyone so you are aware and prepared.

Here is the e-mail Cullman EC received Tuesday morning:

All, just an FYI that NRECA is getting some reports from various states where co-op consumers are receiving phone calls from fraudsters posing to be from the co-op and asking the consumer to provide credit card or other financial account information and personally identifiable information over the phone. (Co-ops are not alone here, this is hitting utilities of all stripes.) There are at least two flavors of this scam -- one is to say the consumer owes on his/her account and will have service shut-off unless payment information is provided immediately. The other appears aimed more specifically at seniors. The caller claims the consumer can receive Federal stimulus dollars to pay their utility bills or some sort of a bill credit but the consumer must first provide his/her personal information (e.g. Social Security Number and utility account number).

As a reminder, here is a link to Cullman EC's bill pay policies. Please know that no employee from Cullman EC will ever call you and demand payment over the phone or make unsolicited attempts to get information about your credit card or bank accounts.

For more information on protecting your identity, visit the Federal Trade Commission's website page on identity theft.