Small Business Scams
Scammers know that small businesses depend on electricity, internet connectivity and phone service in order to operate. They may call claiming that the bill for a vital service is overdue, and threaten to cut off the electricity or disconnect phone service if payment isn't made immediately. They’re counting on you being so panicked that you'll agree to pay the "bill" by credit card or prepaid debit card over the phone. Lakeland Electric will send out written notices giving you several chances to pay before disconnection. Lakeland Electric will never call demanding payment. Some of the scammers also have the ability to manipulate the phone number seen via caller I.D. to display as if the call is coming from a Lakeland Electric phone line. Pay over the phone only if you initiated the call to the authorized number on your bill (863) 834-9535. Don’t call any number the caller gave you.
Green Dot MoneyPak/Phone Scams
This scam targets small commercial businesses and attempts to collect payment. The scheme works like this: Customers receive a call telling them their electric service is scheduled for immediate disconnection and they need to make a payment by purchasing a "Green Dot MoneyPak" at a local convenience store. The "Green Dot MoneyPak" card is a temporary pre-paid credit card. After the customer purchases the card, they are told to call back and provide a receipt and PIN number. Once that information is obtained, the money on the card is then transferred to those behind the scheme. Pay over the phone by only calling the authorized number on your bill (863) 834-9535. Don’t call any number the caller gave you.
View Top 10 Utility Scams
REPORT FRAUD OR SCAMS
• Federal Trade Commission (File a complaint online)
• Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs
• Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
• Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force
If you have been a victim of fraud or identity theft, it is critical that you take the following actions:
• Call the financial institutions and credit card companies that you deal with to inform them of the situation
• Call one of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax or TransUnion) to report it and place an alert on your account. The agency you contact will notify the other two bureaus
• Call the Social Security Administration if your Social Security card or number is stolen
• Change the PIN (personal identification number) and password to all of your online accounts
• File a police report and get a copy of it for your records
• File a complaint and an Identify Theft Affidavit with the Federal Trade Commission
• Remember to keep a record of what happened and the actions that you took to resolve the issue