CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — The Catawba County Sheriff's Office issued a warning about a scam going around where thieves are posing as Duke Energy in an effort to steal people's banking information.
The sheriff's office posted on Facebook, saying the thieves are using the phone number 877-448-6321 and threatening to disconnect utility service for non-payment. They then tell people they have two past due bills that aren't showing in their system and you must make a one-time payment immediately.
Catawba County officials said if you call the number back, the scammers will claim to be Duke, but they aren't affiliated with Duke Energy in any way.
Duke Energy told the sheriff's office they send letters and do not call customers for disconnected services or billing issues.
Tips to avoid becoming a victim of a scam:
Emotional appeal
Any pitch that ratchets up your emotion will inhibit your rational judgment.Sense of urgency
You MUST act now, or else.Request for unorthodox payment
Gift cards, prepaid credit cards, wire transfers, etc.Explanations that don't ring true
If your new “landlord” can’t show you the inside of the house, that could be because they don’t own it.You won, now pay up
It’s not a prize if you have to pay for it. Taxes, fees, shipping, whatever.Too good to be true
That’s because it’s not true. Sorry, your long-lost relative didn’t die, leaving you millions. That car you bought online for a third of its Kelly Blue Book value doesn’t really exist. The son of a billionaire diamond broker didn’t “swipe right” on you and fall instantly in love. That work-at-home job paying you hundreds of dollars an hour for stuffing envelopes isn’t real.
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