Customers Urged to Protect Themselves Against Utility Scams
City of Tampa Utilities is warning customers to be on alert after receiving multiple reports of people impersonating City of Tampa employees and demanding payment for allegedly overdue utility bills.
Customers are reporting that they’ve received calls from individuals claiming to represent City of Tampa Utilities and telling them they owe money on their utility accounts. The callers then demand immediate payment over the phone.
In several instances, the calls appear to be coming from the City of Tampa Utilities Call Center. The individuals making the calls may be spoofing the city’s phone number in an attempt to make the calls appear legitimate.
City of Tampa Utilities urges customers to be cautious of anyone who calls and demands immediate payment of a utility bill over the phone.
If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and contact the Utilities Call Center directly at (813) 274-8811. Customers can also check their account balance at any time by visiting utilities.tampa.gov.
When City of Tampa representatives do call customers about their utility account, they will provide the following information:
They will identify themselves by last name
They will explain the reason for the call
They will also verify the account’s address, utility account number, and give the customer the choice of how to make the payment.
If the customer chooses to make a credit card payment, they will direct the customer to the appropriate online tool for the customer to make the payment themselves. No credit card information will be exchanged with the City of Tampa representative.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted or has received a suspicious call is encouraged to contact the Tampa Police Department.