Red flags on scam to turn your gas or electric off

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Falmouth businesses were the target this weekend by a scammer and here is how you can be alert to their devious ways.

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  • Be alert to scams
    Be alert to scams
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    Duke Energy spokesman, Randy Wheeless, said that it is a two major red flags that its a scam when they asked for a prepaid credit card payment over the phone and they are coming over to cut your service off right then.
    A few local business owners fell for the long-running scam over the weekend when they received a call that their latest payment was not accepted and he was a Duke Energy technician on his way to turn their either gas or electric service off.
    But they could stop their services being turned off by going somewhere and purchasing a prepaid credit card with a designate amount. He would call them back in a certain amount of time to accept the payment.
    Wheeless said Duke Energy NEVER handles business that way.
    “Customers would receive multiple cancellation notices via either texts, written or emails. Duke Energy would never have somone call that they are coming to turn off your services and take a payment over the phone. This is not going to happen,” he said.
    Falmouth Police Officer Mark Branham gave kudos to Family Dollar store where the prepaid were purchased.
    “They tried to warn them that there was a scam occurring,” he said.
    Smoking Pig Tavern and Snappy Tomato was called on Saturday evening with El Paso and Two Rivers Pizza were contacted on Sunday.
    While businesses were contacted over the weekend, individuals need to be alert and wary as the unscrumpulous scammers could target them next.
    “This is a popular scam and many times these calls are rerouted and coming from overseas making it difficult for law enforcement to track them down.