If there’s a caller claiming to be from Tampa Electric on the other end of your phone line and demanding a prepaid debit card or your service will be disconnected, don’t listen.
This is a scam.
Tampa Electric is warning its customers it never calls to ask for credit card or debit card numbers.
Between 10 and 15 customers are hearing from the scammer every day.
Here’s how the scam works:
– Someone falsely claiming to be a Tampa Electric representative calls a customer from a phone number that appears to be from the utility.
– The caller claims the account is past due and instructs the customer to buy a prepaid debit card from a local drug store – usually within 30 to 60 minutes – and demands they call back with the card’s number to avoid disconnection.
– When the customer calls back, the phone number is falsely answered as Tampa Electric, which adds to the scammer’s credibility.
– In many cases, the scammer ensnared customers, some for about $1,500.
If you are uncertain about an individual's association with Tampa Electric – or about your bill – please contact the company for verification at (813) 223-0800.