SMECO Alerts Customers to Avoid Scams
Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) has been alerted to a fraud scam in which customers are asked to provide payment information in order to avoid having their electric service disconnected.
SMECO warns customer-members not to provide personal financial or electric account information to unauthorized callers.
Customers should not provide Green Dot or Moneygram payments to callers claiming to be from SMECO.
According to Tom Dennison, government and public affairs director, customers have recently contacted SMECO to notify the co-op that they have received fraudulent calls from people threatening to disconnect their electric service. He said, “If customers receive a phone call from someone threatening to disconnect their power, they may hang up and call SMECO directly. Our contact center is open 24 hours a day, every day. SMECO’s phone number is 1-888-440-3311.”
SMECO bills are issued monthly. Overdue amounts are identified on a customer’s bill. If payments are late, SMECO sends a pink termination notice. According to Mr. Dennison, “Customers can also check their account balance by calling SMECO’s automated system at 1-866-528-7757.
Customer-members should never provide personal financial or electric account information to unauthorized callers.” For more information about email scams, phone scams, and SMECO’s collection process, customers can visit SMECO’s website at http://www.smeco.coop/yourSafety/scamAlerts.aspx.
