What it looks like
"This is the disconnection department at your electric company. Your account is past due and a crew is on the way to shut off your power within 30 minutes. To stop the disconnection, call 1-877-XXX-XXXX now."
An example. Real ones change their wording, amounts and names all the time.
How it works
Scammers call homes and small businesses at the times a shutoff would hurt most, like a busy weekday morning or a dinner hour. Some fake the caller ID so the call shows your utility's real name. They may know your address and say your last payment 'did not go through'.
Then comes the clock. A crew is 'already on the way', and the only way to stop it is to pay right now, often with a gift card, a payment app or cash at a Bitcoin ATM. Some say you need to pay for a new meter. If you call the number they give you, you may hear a recorded menu that sounds just like the real company.
It works because losing power, heat or water is frightening, and a payment really can slip through the cracks. Real utilities send written notices and give you time before they disconnect service. They do not take gift cards or cryptocurrency, and they will not mind if you hang up and call the number on your bill.
Signs it is fake
- A shutoff deadline of minutes or hours
- Payment by gift card, prepaid debit card, a payment app, cryptocurrency or a Bitcoin ATM
- A caller who will not let you hang up and call back
- No past due notice came in the mail. Utilities send written notice and give you time before they disconnect service.
- A person at your door asking for cash to keep the lights on
What to do
- Hang up. Find the phone number on a real bill or on your utility's own website and call them.
- Ask the utility whether your account is past due. If it is, pay through their usual payment options, not through someone who called you.
- Do not let anyone into your home until you have called the utility to confirm they sent that worker.
If you already clicked, called or paid
- If you paid by card or bank transfer, call your bank. If you used gift cards, call the card company now.
- Tell your utility what happened so they can warn other customers.
- Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Being fooled is not your fault. These messages are made by professionals to look real. Acting quickly is what matters. See what to do if you paid a scammer.
Not sure about a message?
Forward it to Uncle at +1 208 214 0093, or send a screenshot. He tells you plainly what looks wrong. He never asks for passwords or codes, and he never texts first. How it works.
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More common scams
Written by the Textuncle team. Last updated October 3, 2026.
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