There’s a water utility phone scam going on in Bradenton, city warns
Have you received a call, purportedly from the city of Bradenton, demanding that you pay your water bill — and a threat that if you don’t, your utilities will be disconnected?
Don’t panic, and don’t press any buttons during the call. It might be a fraud.
The city of Bradenton’s communications coordinator, Jeannie Roberts, told the Bradenton Herald that the city has received a lot of calls from customers who were panicked about their water potentially being shut off.
Customers said they received a call with this message: “This is the utility company calling, and we’re going to turn off your utilities if you don’t pay us within the next 30 minutes. Press 1 now to pay.”
The caller doesn’t mention Bradenton, and doesn’t ask for a specific amount to be paid.
This may be someone attempting to pray on older people on people having difficulties paying their power bills, Roberts said.
“Nobody from the city of Bradenton is going to threaten to turn off your utilities in the next 30 minutes if you don’t pay,” Roberts said. “The city will not take your credit card over the phone.
“If people are having trouble paying their utility bills, we’re more than willing to work with them on a payment plan if they call us and work that out,” she added.
Scams like this one pop up during the holiday season, and Robertson said she doesn’t want Bradenton residents to fall victim to them.
“People are trying to make a buck however they can, and I just don’t want our customers to be part of that,” she said.
If you have received the scam call and you are concerned about your utility being turned off or need to set up a payment plan, call the city of Bradenton utility at 941-932-9434.
