Utility shut-off scam
The caller claims to be from your electric, gas, or water company and threatens immediate disconnection unless an 'overdue balance' is paid within the hour, usually by prepaid card or payment app.
The scheme spikes with the weather because the threat is visceral: no heat in January, no air conditioning in a heat wave. Small businesses — restaurants during dinner service especially — are prime targets, since an hour of downtime costs more than the fake bill. Real utilities follow a regulated disconnection process with multiple written notices and never demand prepaid cards or crypto-ATM deposits; one call to the number printed on your bill settles the question.
How to recognize it
- Threat of shut-off within 30–60 minutes
- Payment accepted only via prepaid card, crypto ATM, or payment app
- Calls spike during heat waves and cold snaps
What to do
- Hang up and call the number on your utility bill
- Utilities send multiple written notices before disconnection
- Report the call to the FTC and your state utility commission
Where to report
Sources
FAQ
What should I do first if I suspect a utility shut-off scam call?
Hang up without pressing anything or confirming any details. Hang up and call the number on your utility bill. Then report it through the channels listed below.
I already gave the caller money or information — now what?
Act on the money first: contact your bank or card issuer immediately, and if you paid by gift card, call the card company to try freezing the balance. Then file a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and, if identity data leaked, follow the recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.
Does the number that called me identify the scammer?
Usually not — the display is routinely spoofed. Report the number anyway: combined with time and content, it still helps investigators map calling campaigns.