CoServ received 35 scam reports in a single day earlier this year, the cooperative said in a safety alert published Oct. 26.
Most of the reports came from local businesses.
Leah Bielicki, a CoServ customer care specialist, said she worries the reported cases represent only a fraction of the problem. "The worst part is these are mom and pop businesses, and the elderly," Bielicki said.
The callers use auto dialers to blanket entire neighborhoods, according to CoServ. The calls come from spoofed phone numbers with a 940 area code, the same prefix CoServ uses, making them look legitimate on caller ID.
The pitch follows a script: callers tell members they have a past-due balance and threaten to send someone nearby to disconnect the meter immediately.
In the newest version of the scam, victims receive a text message containing a barcode. They are told to scan it at Dollar General and make payments in $500 increments.
CoServ said it never orders members to pay by barcode, pre-paid card, Venmo or PayPal. The utility does make courtesy calls before any disconnection.
CoServ did not specify the exact date the 35 reports were logged or say whether any members lost money. The alert noted that scammers tend to increase activity heading into the holiday season.
How to protect yourself
CoServ recommends these steps if you receive a suspicious call or text:
- Check your SmartHub account to verify your balance and whether you face disconnection.
- Ask the caller to confirm the amount owed. The number will not match your actual balance.
- Hang up and call CoServ Customer Care directly at 940-321-7800.
- Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
