POWER SHUT-OFF SCAM IN BONIFAY

The Bonifay Police Department has received complaints of another phone scam being active in the area.  In this scam, which frequently targets small businesses, a telephone caller poses as an electric utility company employee. The caller threatens to shut off the customer’s power unless an immediate payment is made. In many cases, the customer is told to use a pre-paid debit card, such as a Green Dot/MoneyPak card, or a money transfer service like Money Gram or Western Union.

The facts:

If your account is past-due, you will receive a written notice of your account status, with instructions on how to avoid disconnection of service. 

If you receive a suspicious call, hang up immediately.

Be aware that scammers often use Caller ID spoofing software to misrepresent the source of a phone call, or provide you with a fake "verification" phone number. These call-back numbers may even include exact replicas of company greetings and hold messaging.

If you would like to verify your account status, always call your electricity provider’s Customer Service Department using the numbers on your bill or on their website(s).  Our two local providers are as follows: