How to Avoid Becoming a Scammer’s Next Victim
How to Avoid Becoming a Scammer’s Next Victim
Small business owners should be on the lookout for scammers using bar or QR codes to trick utility customers into paying “past-due bills” to avoid service disconnection. It’s a new twist on a classic scam taking advantage of the worries of vulnerable customers.
Take the case of Pamela Samia. She was cutting a client’s hair when her phone rang; the caller claimed to be a Southern California Edison technician on his way to her salon to shut off power.
“The technician gave me a number to call to pay the bill — I have a business to run and can’t be without power, so I called it,” said Samia. “The lady who answered told me to go to CVS and tell them to add money to my account through a bar code that she texted me. She also said not to tell them what it was for, just ‘add money’ to my account, which made me start to wonder.”
Instead of giving cash to a CVS clerk who could have unwittingly sent money to the scammer’s code, Samia had second thoughts and eventually discovered she was being scammed.
International Fraud Awareness Week is Nov. 12-18. With Utility Scam Awareness Day on Nov. 15, SCE wants you to know how thieves can prey on customers, especially during the upcoming holiday season.
While scammers work year-round, they are more active during the holiday months. They know customers are busy, not paying attention and will act out of fear of being disconnected.
“While we take significant measures to protect the safety and security of our customer account information, scammers can seem very convincing to unsuspecting customers who are caught off guard,” said Peggy Garcia, an SCE Information Governance advisor. “We urge customers to be aware of impostors who claim to be related to our company."
This year, SCE has received more than 2,700 reports of scams from customers, resulting in $229,000 in losses from January through October. The actual number of scam attempts is even higher since many go unreported to SCE or law enforcement.
- Have it in Writing: SCE always sends a written notice regarding account status well before a disconnection date, with instructions on how to avoid disconnection of service.
- Beware Unusual Payment Methods: Impostors often ask for unusual payment methods like digital payment apps, cryptocurrencies or money transfers. Only use established SCE payment methods.
- Don’t Trust Caller ID: Scammers often use caller ID spoofing to mislead and confuse their targets. If unsure, hang up and call the number on your SCE bill. Never use the phone number provided by the scammer or caller ID.
- Double Check Information: Bad actors often use fake bill assistance programs to steal sensitive information. Please refer to SCE’s assistance programs for help with bill payments.
- Never Click or Download: Cybercriminals may attempt to steal your private information by sending malware through texts and emails. It is important to avoid clicking any links or downloading attachments from suspicious messages.
If you detect suspicious activity, try to get a callback number for reporting purposes, then hang up and contact SCE directly via csinfogov@sce.com or by completing SCE’s online fraud form.
For more information on how to avoid scams and protect your account data, visit sce.com/scamalert.