Boulder police have received three complaints from local business owners who say scammers pretending to be Xcel Energy employees have targeted their businesses.

 

The complainants have shared similar stories with investigators that begin with a phone call claiming that the customer’s utility account is past due and is about to be disconnected within the next few hours. The victims are then told to pay the bill immediately via a wire service like Western Union or a prepaid debit card like MoneyPak. In one case, the phone scammer wanted to meet the potential victim to get the money in person.

 

Scammers demanding "late" payments. So far, it isn't working.

Scammers demanding “late” payments. So far, it isn’t working.

The three businesses which were targeted received calls on Jan. 15, Jan. 17, and Jan. 20. In each case, the victims contacted police and Xcel to check that their accounts were in good standing.

 

So far, no one has fallen for the scheme and Boulder police would like to make sure that area residents and business owners are aware of the scam.

 

People should be wary of giving personal information like bank account numbers or social security numbers over the phone. It’s also a red flag if telemarketers use high-pressure tactics such as saying “you must pay now or lose your service.”

 

Anyone who has questions about their Xcel account may contact Xcel’s customer service center at 800-895-4999, or customerservice@xcelenergy.com.

 

Anyone who believes they may have been the victim of a phone scam may report it to the Boulder Police Department at 303-441-3333.