Utilities scam victimizing state residents

Utilities fraud is sweeping across the region, striking residents as close as Bowling Green.

Scammers call claiming their intended victims can have utilities bills paid by bailout money from the Obama administration by using a routing number in exchange for personal information such as a Social Security number.

However, the routing number is fake, and scammers are committing identity theft.

Bowling Green Municipal Utilities fielded more than 10 calls from residents in their area, some notifying the company of scam attempts and some who already had given up personal information, according to Miles McDaniel, manager of marketing at BGMU.

“If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is,” McDaniel said.

Though Kentucky Utilities and Nolin Rural Electric Cooperative Corp. have not been notified of any local scams, Louisville Gas and Electric and KU spokesman Brian Phillips said it’s always good to be on the watch for these kinds of calls.

“Be sure you research any call and be wary of any service, especially if it’s something that you didn’t seek out on your own,” Phillips said.

Utilities companies will not ask for that kind of personal information over the phone, he said.

“Unfortunately, these scammers are targeting particularly vulnerable people,” he said.

Residents who receive this type of call should hang up and immediately notify their utilities company, said Allison Coffey, executive assistant at Nolin RECC.

Elizabeth Beilman can be reached at (270) 505-1740 or ebeilman@thenewsenterprise.com.