At the end of last week, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) warned Florida’s residents of a recent phone scam impersonating the PSC that’s targeting electric utility customers.
The PSC has received complaints from utility customers who have received calls from someone claiming to be from the PSC. Customers were told they had been billed at a commercial rate instead of a residential rate and were due a refund. The scammers said a credit would be applied to their account, but it would expire if a credit or debit card information was not provided. This is a scam and not the PSC.
The PSC is reminding Florida’s residents of the following:
The PSC does not issue refunds nor call customers about refunds. Refund-related issues are handled by the customer’s utility company.
The utility company would issue a refund directly to a customer’s account and it would appear on a customer’s bill, and would not require a credit or debit card to be provided.
Stay informed as a consumer. Know how to keep your information safe and when to spot a scam. View the PSC’s Scam Alert brochure to learn how to better protect yourself against scams.
Customers affected by this scam should contact the PSC’s Consumer Assistance line at 1-800-342-3552, and the Attorney General’s Office. If a customer fell victim to this scam and provided their credit or debit card information, they should contact their financial institutions to keep their accounts safe.
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