By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


Consumers Energy is cautioning senior citizens and their loved ones about an outbreak of scam calls.

Debra Dodd of Consumers Energy told WHMI in an email that several seniors in the Brighton area have contacted them regarding phone calls attempting to scare them and then scam them regarding their utility bills. Reportedly, scammers are saying they are from Consumers, telling residents they have 2 hours to pay their bill, and then threatening to shut off service if they don’t. Dodd credited the residents for doing the right thing and calling Consumers Energy’s phone center and were advised these were scams.

She writes that if a customer gets that type of call, they should write down the caller’s number and then contact the utility to verify account information. She added that Consumers will never call and threaten immediate shut off of services if payment isn’t made, and they will never recommend a particular form of payment, like a pre-paid credit card. They will also never request personal information or take payments over the phone.

For more information on how to protect oneself from scams, see the attached, below.