NEW YORK – New Yorkers are being warned to remain vigilant against a surge in telephone scams by the state’s attorney general, Letitia James.
A rise in reported complaints have shown that fraudsters are again utilizing a telephone scam in which scammers impersonate a utilities customer service representative and urge customers to buy gift cards and call back with the serial numbers to pay what they claim is a delinquent bill, the New York AG’s office stated.
Scammers convince customers to pay the bill by threating to cut off service and suggesting nearby stores that sell gift cards to immediately pay the bill in question. Consumers who are contacted do not necessarily have delinquent or outstanding bills.
“As New Yorkers continue to suffer the economic impacts of the COVID-19 public health crisis, scammers have seen this as an opportunity to take advantage of the economic anxiety that many New Yorkers feel and the additional time some have needed to pay their bills,” said James. “Utilities are essential services that are needed for households to survive. Falsely threatening to shut off these vital lifelines is not only heartless, but unlawful, which is why this type of illegal activity will not be tolerated for a moment.”