Wake Forest, NC— North Carolina’s electric cooperatives are warning members to beware of a utility bill scam targeting individuals and businesses statewide. Scam activity has increased significantly in the last few days.

Cooperative members across North Carolina have received phone calls and/or emails from imposters claiming to be a representative of their electric cooperative and demanding payment. Often scammers, via phone calls and email, ask for personal account information or threaten to disconnect service if immediate payment is not made by prepaid credit or debit card. In some cases, scammers have even falsified their caller ID to reflect a utility company’s name.

North Carolina’s electric cooperatives will never call members to demand immediate payment or to ask for account or personal information. Never give out your banking or credit card information to someone who has called regarding your account.

If you receive a suspicious call or email from someone claiming to represent your electric cooperative, hang up and/or do not respond to the email. Call your cooperative (caution: DO NOT use the fake number that appears on your caller ID!), or forward the email to the cooperative, and report the scam attempt to local law enforcement.

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