Phone calls to collect fake overdue BC Hydro charges target businesses | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Kelowna News

Phone calls to collect fake overdue BC Hydro charges target businesses

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DELTA, B.C. - Police in Delta say scammers have defrauded several businesses out of thousands of dollars by posing as BC Hydro employees collecting on supposedly overdue charges.

Business owners were told on the phone that unless they paid immediately their power would be cut off in less than an hour.

Police says callers have told Hydro customers to use a prepaid credit card to cover outstanding amounts and seemed legitimate because they referred to actual account numbers and billing histories.

BC Hydro says it does not ask customers to pay bills with prepaid credit cards and notifies them by mail if payments are overdue.

The utility has said fraudsters have targeted customers across the province in their attempts to steal money from residents and small businesses, especially restaurants.

Police say anyone who have received such calls should contact them and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2015
The Canadian Press

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