Pasadena Water and Power Warns of Scam Calls Demanding Payment Within 30 Minutes
Scammers call pretending to be utility workers and threaten to shut off your water or power unless you pay immediately.
How it works
You receive a call from someone claiming to work for your utility company. They say your account is overdue and threaten to cut off service within 30 minutes unless you pay right away. They push for immediate payment, often demanding wire transfer, gift cards, or prepaid cards.
Red flags to watch for
- Caller demands payment within 30 minutes or threatens service cutoff
- They ask you to pay by wire transfer, gift card, or prepaid card
- Caller knows your account number but you did not call them
- Real utility companies do not call demanding instant payment
- Pressure to act now without time to verify
What to do
Do not pay or give card information to anyone who calls you. Hang up and call your utility company directly using the phone number on your bill or their official website. Real utilities do not threaten same-day shutoffs over the phone or demand gift cards. If you are unsure, contact the utility in person or wait for a written notice in the mail.
If this reached you
Source: Pasadena Now . Scam Sentinel summarizes this news report in plain language; it is a decision aid, not a guarantee.