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BED Warns Customers Against Bill Payment Scam

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 20, 2015
Contact:  Mike Kanarick
                 802.735.7962

BED Warns Customers Against Bill Payment Scam

Burlington, VT – Burlington Electric Department today is warning its customers against a bill payment scam underway in Burlington.  The scam involves BED customers – in particular, hair salons – receiving phone calls from persons identifying themselves as BED representatives threatening to cut off their power if outstanding bills are not paid within one hour.  The callers (at least one identifying himself as “James” and calling from numbers including 800.748.7043) then direct BED customers to share credit card or other payment information.  These calls are not coming from BED, but rather are part of a scam to defraud BED customers.  If receiving such calls, BED customers are advised to follow these steps:

  • Do not provide payment or any other personal information;
  • Do not engage with the caller;
  • Immediately hang up;
  • Do not call back the number; and
  • Call BED Customer Service at 802.865.7300 to report the occurrence and to share any information you are able to provide, including name of the caller, caller’s phone number, and substance of the call.

 

Further, customers receiving such a call are encouraged to report this scam by contacting the Vermont Attorney General’s Office Consumer Assistance Program at 800.649.2424 (in-state only) or 802.656.3183 (from out of state numbers) or by visiting www.uvm.edu/consumer. Also, to further protect yourself against similar scams, please visit that same website address to read about similar past scams. 

BED has notified the Burlington Police Department, the Vermont Attorney General’s Office, and its utility industry colleagues at Green Mountain Power and Vermont Electric Cooperative.

 

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Press Release Date: 
07/20/2015
City Department: 
Mayor's Office