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Don't Fall Victim to Utility Scams
Posted: Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Update June 2, 2016: A caller identifying themselves as "Charlie Barker" and claiming to be from Stoughton Utilities continues to contact Stoughton businesses and threatening disconnection if the business does not purchase a prepaid credit card. The scam has most recently targeted entertainment venues. This scam has been ongoing for several weeks, previously targeting automotive businesses.

Update May 26, 2016: A caller identifying themselves as "Charlie Barker" and claiming to be from Stoughton Utilities continues to contact automotive-related businesses in Stoughton and threatening disconnection if the business does not visit Pick 'n Save to purchase a prepaid credit card. This scam has been ongoing for several weeks.

Update May 13, 2016: Stoughton businesses are being contacted by phone by a man claiming to be with Stoughton Utilities, informing them that their business is set to be disconnected. These businesses are being instructed to go to Pick 'n Save to purchase a prepaid credit card, and to wait for the scammer to call them back.

Don't fall victim to this scam! SU will never disconnect your account on a Friday, and we will always provide at least 10-days advance notice. If you are in doubt about your account status, contact us immediately!




During this time of year, scammers frequently take advantage of worried utility customers using the threat of disconnection for unpaid bills to squeeze money out of businesses and residential customers. There are a few variations of this scam:
  1. A person arrives at your home or business and demands immediate payment on the spot to avoid disconnection
  2. A person calls your home or business and states you will be disconnected within a short period of time unless you make an immediate payment over the phone using a prepaid debit card
  3. A person visits your home or business offering utility payment assistance. If you pay some money up front, they will match it or provide additional funds to assist in payment.
  4. A person calls or visits your home or business stating that the meter is malfunctioning and needs to be replaced at your expense, or that an unpaid new customer deposit is due and failure to pay immediately will result in disconnection.
Utility scams have happened in Stoughton, as well as other Dane county communities. In all cases the scammer preys upon people's fears, frequently targeting low-income neighborhoods or businesses during peak hours, and uses high-pressure intimidation tactics to get the victim to make a payment.


What to look for if you receive a call or visit...
To avoid falling victim to a scam, keep the following in mind:
  • We will never contact you by phone or in-person and demand immediate payment.
  • We will never require payment by prepaid debit card or wire transfer, or any other specific payment method. We accept payment by your choice of check, credit/debit card, money order, or cash (at our office).
  • We will never accept a customer payment in the field. Utility staff is prohibited from requesting or accepting any type of payment when visiting your home or business. All cash payments must be made at our office.
  • We will never request your social security or driver's license number over the phone or at your home. When we contact you, we will have all your specific account information, including name, address, account number, and balance.
  • We will never require a payment to repair or replace an electric or water meter.
  • We will always arrive at your home in a marked vehicle. Stoughton Utilities field staff uses white trucks with the blue SU logo on the door.
  • We will always carry photo identification with our name, photo, and the SU logo printed on the plastic ID card.

Always be cautious...
If you are ever in doubt of a call you receive, immediately end the call and contact SU Customer Service at (608) 873-3379. We will verify whether or not it was an employee that contacted you. Scammers can manipulate the caller ID to mask their number and make it appear they are calling from the utility, so exercise caution even if the caller ID states it is coming from our phone number.

If anyone claiming to be a Stoughton Utilities employee visits your home or business, request to see their utility ID card, which will contain the SU logo, and the employee's photo, name, and job title. If you are ever in doubt about a technician's visit, contact SU Customer Service at (608) 873-3379 to verify the employee's identity and the cause for their visit.

When we will contact you regarding delinquent accounts...
Stoughton Utilities follows a normal schedule leading up to any scheduled service disconnection. We will always first attempt to contact you by mail at least once if your service is at risk of being disconnected. For unpaid bills, our schedule is as follows:
  1. Your regular monthly billing statement is mailed, and in all cases you will have at least twenty days to make payment
  2. At least 10 days prior to any scheduled disconnection, a bright-pink notice that contains your utility account information will be mailed.
  3. Two days prior to any scheduled disconnection, we will make an automated phone call to the phone number(s) on file. This call will contain your name, account number, delinquent balance, and scheduled date of disconnection.
  4. One day prior to any scheduled disconnection, we will make an automated phone call to the phone number(s) on file. This final notice will contain your name, account number, delinquent balance, and scheduled date of disconnection.
  5. If we do not have a phone number on file, we will deliver a final disconnection notice containing your account information to your home or business. This notice will typically be attached to your front door.