Scammers Target SMECO

Customers of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative have been targeted by scammers. The fraud scam involves customers being asked to provide payment information so they can avoid having their electric service disconnected. According to Tom Dennison, managing director of government and public affairs, customers have received fraudulent calls from people threatening to disconnect their electric service.

SMECO warns customer-members not to provide personal financial or electric account information to unauthorized callers. Mr. Dennison said, “We continue to issue alerts when customers notify us that these scams are taking place. Not only are they a nuisance, but scam artists can steal thousands of dollars from unsuspecting residents and businesses. We want to help prevent this type of crime by educating our customers whenever we hear about people being tricked out of their hard-earned money.”

Mr. Dennison added, “If customers receive a phone call from someone threatening to disconnect their power, they may hang up and call SMECO directly to check their account balance. Our contact center is open 24 hours a day, every day. SMECO’s phone number is 1-888-440-3311. The phone number is printed at the top of the bill and that’s the number customers should use to reach our contact center.” Customers should not provide Green Dot, Western Union, or Moneygram payments to callers claiming to be from SMECO.

“Customer-members should know how much they owe and when payments are due. Electric utilities follow state regulations and have set schedules for billing and payment,” Mr. Dennison explained. SMECO bills are issued monthly. Overdue amounts are identified on a customer’s bill. If payments are late, SMECO sends a pink termination notice.

• SMECO only calls customers who owe a past due balance.
• SMECO usually uses an automated phone system with a recorded message; rarely will SMECO employees make personal “collection” phone calls.
• Collection calls are made about 10 days before service is to be terminated. SMECO does not require payment at the time of the call.
• SMECO does not make collection calls or terminate service on weekends or holidays.
• If service is going to be terminated, a SMECO collector will knock on the customer’s door before turning off service.
• SMECO collectors will accept credit card payments, checks, or money orders, but they do not accept cash.

For more information about email scams, phone scams, and SMECO’s collection process, customers can visit SMECO’s website. 

SMECO is a customer-owned electric cooperative providing electricity to more than 160,000 services in southern Prince George’s County, and in Charles County, St. Mary’s County, and all but the northeast portion of Calvert County. Co-ops are distinctly different from investor-owned utilities because co-ops are owned by their customers, and these members elect the men and women who serve on the Board of Directors.

Co-ops also issue capital credits to their members. What are capital credits? They are the member’s share of the co-op’s margins, based on how much electricity the member purchased and the rate at which the account was billed. SMECO’s margins—revenue less expenses—are used as working capital for new construction and system improvements. When SMECO’s Board of Directors determines that a percentage of the capital credits can be distributed to members through a general refund, capital credits will be issued by check or credited to members’ electric bills.