Utility shutoff scam: "your power will be cut off today"
Scammers pose as your electric, gas, or water company and say service will be cut off within minutes or hours over a past-due bill. They push you to pay through a link, over the phone, or with prepaid cards.
How this scam works
Losing power or heat is frightening, especially in cold weather, so a short deadline pushes you to pay before you check. The link or phone number leads to the scammer, not your utility.
Common versions of the message
- A shutoff within the hour
- A past-due balance you did not know about
- A payment link, phone number, or prepaid card request
What the message looks like
Text from +1 (555) 014-6620
FINAL NOTICE: Your electric service will be disconnected in 45 minutes due to a past-due balance of $312.80. To keep your power on, pay now at http://power-billpay.top/account
Fictional example based on common, publicly reported scam patterns.
The red flags
- 1
Rushed deadline: “disconnected in 45 minutes”
Real shutoffs come with written notice first
Utilities send written notices before disconnecting service. A 45-minute deadline is there to stop you from calling the company yourself.
- 2
Surprise bill: “past-due balance of $312.80”
Check your real account, not the text
A balance you did not know about should be checked against your real account or your last bill, not paid from the message.
- 3
Suspicious link: “power-billpay.top”
Not your utility's site. Look at the .top ending
A utility name inside a web address does not make it official. The example ends in .top, not your utility's real site.
What to do
- Do not tap the link or call the number in the message.
- Call your utility using the number on your bill or its official website, or log in to your account yourself.
- Never pay a utility with gift cards, prepaid cards, or crypto.
If you already replied, clicked, or paid
- If you entered card details, call the number on your card right away.
- If you paid with a prepaid or gift card, contact the card company immediately and keep the receipt.
- If you shared your utility account number, tell your utility so it can watch for changes to the account.
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