Phone scam targets Enmax customers in Alberta
Businesses ordered to hand over cash or have power cut off
Enmax customers across the province are complaining of a telephone scam.
The pattern goes like this: the caller says the customer’s utility bill is overdue, threatens to cut off the customer’s power if the money doesn’t come in right away and then asks for credit card or PayPal information.
Company spokesperson Doris Kaufmann Woodcock says a growing number of people have reported the scam since Christmas.
"If there's anything that's wrong with their account, as far as arrears, we would never immediately disconnect a customer,” she said.
“We certainly try to make every effort to work through payment arrangement options, etc. — residential, commercial, that applies straight across the board."
So far, small to mid-sized business — mainly restaurants — have been targeted.
Enmax wants anyone who was a victim of the scam to contact them.
EPCOR and FORTIS have also reported a telephone scam involving their customers.