[KathieI]

Yesterday I received a recorded phone message that came from TECO (The gas company supplier for the villages area around Lake Sumter, I guess). The message stated that I was extremely late in paying my bill and that many charges were accumulating to the point where I might need financial aid to pay my bill. It was very alarming and after a minute or two, I was concerned because my bill is an auto deduction from my checking account and I worried that something was wrong with my C/A. I called the number they gave me and spoke to a real person at TECO, who after verifying who i was, checked my account and told me that no, everything was okay and there was no issue with my payments. When I expressed my concern about this call, the operator told me that they are getting many complaints like this and someone has started this scam. I guess they were hoping I had actually answered the phone and was an older person (which I am) who is not too savy to this type of stuff and given them my credit card # to stop the charges from multiplying. It was interesting that they gave me the actual gas company number to call back.

Please folks, if you get any calls like this from any utility company or account, please double check before you give out your credit card number. I loathe these type of people who pray on the elderly and perhaps folks with memory issues and hope that I have helped even one person here from avoiding this scam.

Thanks, Kathie

[Topspinmo]

I think Florida is scam capital of the world 🌎. Better be diligent cause they keep coming from all sources. Telephone, cell phone, computer, door to door. Then there the Amazon scams, IRS scams, social security scams utilities scams ( which you have witness) banking scams, ect.... Even where you use you credit card/bank card it can get Skimmed. Anywhere you have account that can get hacked. World we live in today. Don’t you wonder why we never here on news where hacking got caught or prosecuted?

[retiredguy123]

Thanks for the warning.

But, I don't think it is a good idea to give any company access to your checking account. If you have to use an auto pay system, it is much safer to allow automatic credit card charges. They are easier to track and can be disputed with your bank using the Federal protection rules.

[pacjag]

If I ever get a call like this, and I have had a few in the past, I thank them, look up the company’s number, and call them. I never believe someone calling me on issues like that are who they say they are. Thanks for the heads up.

[davem4616]

Thanks for the heads up

If they call me, I'm going to tell them that I don't have a credit card and they'll have to come see me and I'll give them either cash or a check (whichever they would like)....but I'm in and out, so they'll have to set a specific day and time. Then I'll have the police waiting.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Please don’t be scared of auto pay with your bank , if you check your acct you’ll be okay , I’ve had a lot of homes in last 30 years . Mortgages, utilities , HO , all drafted from bank, what I put on backup credit card is cable, cell phone, wi fi newspapers I subscribe to from around the world and charitable donations and then both cards are paid full amount through the same drafting. I have never had a problem and the bank where my pensions go isn’t even in this state . I write 2 checks a year, one for home insurance, one for taxes

[Stu from NYC]

All to common. Just before we moved here late last year got a robo call from guy claiming to be from my electric company that they were on the way to my house to shut off powder for non payment.

Since we always way early called the company and said it was fraudulent. When I offered to give them the phone number they called me on they had no interest in investigating.

[Cupcake57]

I am troubled with calls about my car's extended warranty. I held for a customer representative, who asked me to verify the make/model; I said " 1974 Volkswagen Beetle". long pause, then he said "Is that you're only vehicle? I said yes; another long pause, then click! I hope that is the end of it, but probably not. Wish I still owned that Beetle!

[Mrsmac4]

I got a phone call from a woman who said that she was from some new company who was taking over distributing electricity (or something similar) and this new company requires a deposit of $200 which of course needed to be paid right then and there. The thing is I did receive a letter like a week previous notifying us that a new company would be taking over providing electricity. She wanted my SS# - ! Ofcourse I did not give it to her but she was getting a bit pushy which did not make a difference - I still did not comply. I am just writing this for my neighbors in The Villages to be aware. She never got any information - my electricity is still running.

[NY2TV]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Thanks for the warning.

But, I don't think it is a good idea to give any company access to your checking account. If you have to use an auto pay system, it is much safer to allow automatic credit card charges. They are easier to track and can be disputed with your bank using the Federal protection rules.

There is a fee to pay TECO by credit card. I use their budget plan and the direct debit to my checking account. Saves a stamp and I don't have to remember to pay them every month. Have done this with my utilities my entire adult life (as long as it has been available anyway). Never had a problem.

[Dilligas]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Thanks for the warning.

But, I don't think it is a good idea to give any company access to your checking account. If you have to use an auto pay system, it is much safer to allow automatic credit card charges. They are easier to track and can be disputed with your bank using the Federal protection rules.

Better than a credit card you should set up Electronic bill pay with your bank. You control who gets a check, you can set up auto reoccurring payments (same effect as creditor drawing from your account, but you control) for bills that are the same every month (like mortgages). I also set up reoccurring for credit cards at a small amount to cover any minimum payment level, to avoid missing a payment and getting a late fee charge. I don’t trust any company to tap into my checking.

[Girlcopper]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Thanks for the warning.

But, I don't think it is a good idea to give any company access to your checking account. If you have to use an auto pay system, it is much safer to allow automatic credit card charges. They are easier to track and can be disputed with your bank using the Federal protection rules.

Exactly. Also, whenever verifying an alert or something from any alleged credit card company, always call the number on the back of your credit card, not the one provided by the caller. Its odd and unusual in this instance that they left an accurate number. Also, never reply to an email similar to this either. The email will always appear legit. Always always only call the number on your credit card.

[Jupiter Joan]

Appreciate your sharing

[TSO/ISPF]

Our banks lets us set up an email alert anytime something is withdrawn from our account(s). We have ours set at 1 dollar and
get notified any time a withdrawal over .99 is made.

[J1ceasar]

Actually the two biggest "fake" phone "callers were found and fined recently . something like 14 billion calls monthly . fake health insurance. Notice these stopped????