AUB: DON'T GET HOOKED
BY PHISHERS OR SCAMMERS

ATHENS, Tenn. - Scams come in many forms these days. Some come right to your doorstep while others sneak in through phone and cable computer lines, especially with the ever-growing use of the internet to conduct business.

Athens Utilities Board (AUB) is advising Athens area residents to be aware of and on the lookout for con artists casting their electronic net for unsuspecting utility customers or posing as utility employees.

“An apparent hot area for scams is what is called phishing,” said AUB spokesman Wayne Scarbrough.

Phishing is when a person or group creates an imitation or copy of an existing legitimate Web page to trick users into providing sensitive personal information such as account numbers, user names, passwords, credit card numbers and Social Security numbers. Phishing e-mails often carry subject lines like “verify your e-mail address,” “enroll in Internet payment,” or “important news about your account.” Because these e-mails and the sites they link to may look official, up to 20 percent of recipients may get caught in the phishing net.

Scarbrough said that AUB does not send unsolicited emails seeking this type information from customers. “If you should get such an email, the best thing would be to contact AUB and let us check the status of your account,” Scarbrough said.

To avoid getting caught by one of these scams, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, offers this guidance:

• If you get an email that warns you, with little or no notice, that an account of yours will be shut down unless you reconfirm your billing information, do not reply or click on the link in the email. Instead, contact the company cited in the email using a telephone number or Web site address you know to be genuine.
• Avoid emailing personal and financial information. Before submitting financial information through a Web site, look for the “lock” icon on the browser’s status bar. It signals that your information is secure during transmission.
• Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to determine whether there are any unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your credit card company or bank to confirm your billing address and account balances.
• Report suspicious activity to the FTC. Send the actual spam to uce@ftc.gov. If you believe you’ve been scammed, file your complaint at www.ftc.gov, and then visit the FTC's Identity Theft Web site (www.ftc.gov/idtheft) to learn how to minimize your risk of damage from identity theft.

Scams involving utility board imposters crop up nearly every year, Scarbrough said. “Many times the con artists work their way across the state in an attempt to stay ahead of the law-and ahead of news reports-to find new victims,” he said.

“Recently in Memphis, a man posing as a Memphis Light, Gas, and Water utility employee entered homes and took blank checks that later were cashed as well as other valuable items such as cash and credit cards,” Scarbrough said.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported that the suspect, who wore a hard hat and tool belt, gained entry into at least three homes of elderly residents by telling them that they had experienced a power surge and “needed a part for their breaker box or a fire might start.”

The suspect told the residents he needed a blank check to purchase the parts for them and that the local utility company would then reimburse them. An 83-year-old homeowner gave the suspect a check in good faith only to discover that the suspect made it out for $850.00 and cashed it at a local bank.

Later that same day, a 73-year-old utility customer-concerned by the prospect of a home fire-allowed the suspect to come into his home to perform an inspection. The suspect went from room to room turning lights on and off, then left. Shortly, the homeowner realized that cash and a credit card were missing.

Often, the con artists prey upon elderly citizens who are trusting and concerned for their safety, and therefore don't ask for appropriate identification.

“This type of scam is not new, but every time it crops up some innocent people get taken,” said AUB General Manager Eric Newberry. “We want to spread the word in an effort to help avoid any area residents from being victims of this con routine.”

“A dead giveaway is if someone at your door claiming to be an AUB employee asks for money on the spot for any reason. AUB field employees will never ask for a check or any other sort of payment for utility repairs or inspections at a home,” Newberry said.

Scarbrough added that AUB employees typically do not enter customer homes unless a prior appointment for specific work has been scheduled in cooperation with the homeowner.

AUB employees will always be in trucks marked clearly with the AUB logo, Newberry noted. “Most AUB trucks are bright yellow or white with logos on both sides. AUB field employees also wear AUB caps and shirts with their name above the front pocket.”

Last summer, scam artists in middle Tennessee posed as energy advisors to gain access to homes. Scarbrough said that AUB currently does not approach residents to conduct energy audits without an initial request from the resident.

“We do have an Energy Advisor on staff that regularly performs energy audits for homeowners, giving advice on conservation and measures for weatherproofing their home. But we only do this at the customer's request and by appointment,” Scarbrough said.

AUB advises residents to ask for identification of anyone posing as a utility worker and to call AUB to check their employment status if there is any suspicion.