Local and national headlines are hard to miss, scam attempts are still on the rise. Whether by phone, email or door-to-door, criminals continue to target individuals within our communities, including Central Electric members.

The most common scam attempt is a threatening phone call stating your electric service is in immediate danger of being disconnected. The caller associates themselves with Central Electric, or another local utility, and warns the individual that a payment must be made immediately to avoid a disconnection of service. Various payment options, including prepaid credit cards and other personal information, are requested within a short window, usually a few minutes, or the service will be shut-off.

The scams are effective when they create a sense of urgency and catch you off-guard in a quick moment of panic. In that brief moment of panic, individuals have been lured into providing credit card and other personal information. Unfortunately, it is often tough for law enforcement to recover any lost money.

Remember this important information to prevent yourself from falling victim to a utility scam:

• Central Electric will NEVER call and demand an instant payment or ask for personal information to prevent immediate disconnection.
• A mailed notice will be sent advising of an overdue account, followed by a second mailed notice around two weeks later. You may also receive a phone call from an automated system the night before a disconnection as a reminder of the overdue balance.

If you are ever unsure of the status of your account or the party you are speaking with, hang up and call the cooperative immediately. Cooperative representatives are readily available to you by calling 1-800-446-7752.

You can also quickly check the status of your account online at CEMCPower.com. Here you can check your account balance, make payments and set up alerts that will notify you when you have an overdue balance. If you have not already done so, contact the cooperative today to set up a login.