Holiday Scams have begun - do not give personal information by phone
Levy County, Florida - During the holiday season, scams begin in earnest, with scammers using old tactics and devising new ones to part you from your money.
The most recent local scam involved a scammer using scare and intimidation tactics to steal more that $1,200 from a Levy County citizen. This scammer called the victim, posing as a representative from Central Florida Electric Cooperative (CFEC), and convinced the citizen that payment for his electric bill had not been received, and his power would be turned off if the bill was not paid immediately. The victim gave the scammer authorization to take a payment by phone, and before he was able to contact the CFEC to verify that he owed them money, more than $1,200 dollars had been removed from his account.
The Levy County Sheriff’s Office continues to warn citizens to NEVER give any personal or banking information to anyone who contacts you by phone. Solving crimes such as these is rare, because most victims are unable to provide law enforcement personnel with critical information needed to identify the suspect. Most phone scams involve internet money transfers that are nearly impossible to trace. Before authorizing any payment, you must first contact the company and verify that a payment is required. Reputable businesses like CFEC already have your information on file and will verify if you owe them any back payments. Be safe and smart with your personal information.