Colorado Springs Utilities warns of new phone scam

Colorado Springs Utilities is warning of a new phone scam, which has been reported by more than 25 customers this week, alone.

In the latest scam, a customer is contacted and told they are behind on payments.

To correct the matter, the caller tells the customer they must obtain a prepaid credit card and submit payment that way.

A Colorado Springs Utilities spokeswoman tells KRDO NewsChannel 13 that only automated phone calls are rarely made to customers who have past due accounts and that workers never insist on a prepaid credit card as a method of payment.

“Colorado Springs Utilities would never ask a customer to pay with a prepaid credit card,” said spokeswoman Natalie Eckhart.

Utilities customers like Brittney Amador, who has fallen victim to scams before, said she wouldn’t believe it if they called.

“If they’re trying non-stop with you, that’s a scam,” she said. “No, no, I wouldn’t trust that at all. At all.”

It comes as Colorado Springs police continue to investigate a man, who claims to be a Best Buy worker promising discounts on tech items if payment is made in cash. In one case, the victim lost $1,200.

And late Wednesday night, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office warned residents of a new phone scam. In this case, callers identify themselves as a deputy searching for people with active warrants. The suspect tells the resident they need to mail a money card to an address on Vermijo after the resident reads the numbers off the card.

The Sheriff’s Office tells KRDO NewsChannel 13 they never call to clear up a warrant.

In any case, police urge you to do your homework on a company if you’re contacted. Also, double check any accounts you do have open to ensure you aren’t behind on any accounts. And if the deal sounds too good to be true, it likely is.