Hydro warns of scammers threatening shutoffs

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This article was published 16/04/2020 (1972 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Aggressive telephone and email scammers attempting to profit off COVID-19 concerns have been threatening Manitoba Hydro customers with utility shutoffs, the Crown corporation says.

Hydro has currently committed to suspending utility disconnections indefinitely in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, scammers have been contacting Manitoba residents, claiming they must pay for an outstanding bill within 30 minutes or else face disconnection. Some payment demands have reached as high as $1,500, Hydro said.

Chris McColm, the Crown corporation’s security and investigations supervisor, said Thursday the scenario couldn’t be further from the truth.

“We will never phone you and demand immediate payment by a prepaid card or a money order,” he said in a news release.

Still, the scammers have managed to be quite convincing, McColm said.

The number the scam calls appear to come from is often falsified, appearing as though it is directly from Manitoba Hydro, the utility said. The threat of power shutoff is scary enough some unsuspecting customers have fallen for the ruse.

“We’re all under a lot of stress, and these scammers are trying to take advantage of that,” McColm said. “With so many people at home, they’re preying on our anxiety and hop(ing) we let our guard down.”

Manitoba Hydro said customers who suspect they’re being scammed or who have been scammed should call 204-480-5900 or 1-888-624-9376.

ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca