MADISON (NBC 26) — The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is warning neighbors and businesses about a growing number of scams in which callers pose as utility companies.
According to the department, scammers are placing calls that appear to originate from legitimate Wisconsin utility providers. The callers claim an account is overdue and threaten to shut off service unless immediate payment is made.
Officials said this is almost always a scam. Even if an account is overdue, real utility companies will send multiple notices (often including letters) before threatening disconnection. They will not demand instant payment over the phone.
While most recent incidents involve phone calls, DATCP cautions that scammers may also use email or text message. Consumers should treat any unexpected messages about unpaid bills with suspicion.
Authorities advise anyone who receives such messages to hang up or ignore them, then confirm their account status by logging into their utility’s secure website or calling using contact information from a previous bill or the company’s official site.
Many scammers request payment through irreversible or hard-to-trace methods, such as barcodes scanned at retail stores, cryptocurrency, gift cards, banking apps, or wire transfers. DATCP said a Wisconsin business owner recently reported being told to use a barcode at a store register to pay hundreds toward a fake utility bill. Legitimate utilities generally accept more secure forms of payment.
Consumers seeking more information, reporting resources, or to file a complaint can visit ConsumerProtection.wi.gov or call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-422-7128.
