Stay Alert to Scams
If you have been a victim of a scam or were contacted by a scammer, please report it to us and also contact your local law enforcement or Crime Stoppers at 800 - 873小费.
Your input helps us monitor and counteract scammers and their techniques. If you fell victim to a scam, a 坦帕电 representative will follow-up with you at the phone number or email you provided.
Utility scams are on the rise! Scammers are aggressively targeting utility company customers with sophisticated tactics to pocket quick cash. 坦帕电 has partnered with more than 150 gas, electric and water utilities to stay up-to-date on the most commonly used scams to help you protect yourself.
While scammers are always looking for new tricks, here are their most common tactics:
- The caller pretends to be a 坦帕电 employee and insists your account is delinquent. Caller ID may even falsely display our number and appear to be 坦帕电.
- The caller threatens to turn off power to your home or business if payment isn’t made immediately.
- The caller demands immediate payment only with a prepaid card or wire transfer and provides a call back number that mimics our customer service line.
- Increasingly, the scammers are asking you to download and use a payment app. Some even request payment through cryptocurrency.
If you suspect a scam phone call – 挂断电话
If you receive a suspicious text – 删除它
If you get a visitor without official 坦帕电 identification – 把门关上
All 坦帕电 team members and contractors working for 坦帕电 are required to carry photo identification cards. If someone claiming to be a 坦帕电 representative visits your home or business, request to see an ID badge or call the company to verify his or her identity. If you are uncertain about an individual’s association with 坦帕电, please contact the company for verification at 888-223-0800.
Remember these tips to stop scammers in their tracks:
- 坦帕电 will never call to ask for credit card or debit card numbers.
- Be wary of anyone demanding payment over the phone for a power bill.
- Never give credit or debit card information over the phone.
- 知道你欠什么. Reference your most recent bill or log into your 在线账户 to check your account status.
More helpful information about utility scams:
- Common scams and signs - Utilities United Against Scams
- Spoofing scams are spiking – TECO news release
Please share this information with friends, business owners and members of your family, especially the elderly, who are often victimized by scammers.
If you have been a victim of a scam or were contacted by a scammer, please report it to us via the form below and contact your local law enforcement or Crime Stoppers at 800 - 873小费.
