Be aware of Suspicious emails, phone calls and mail
Various ‘scam’ activities continue to be reported in the news media including callers claiming to be from the IRS, fake emails appearing to be from utilities or merchants, bogus letters purporting to be from the Social Security Administration, mail alleging recipients are prize winners of sweepstakes, and computer viruses that allow hackers to steal financial or credit card information. All scams attempt to seek money from unsuspecting victims. Most scams involve obtaining a victim’s personal information, such as bank account or Social Security number, under false pretenses. The scammer usually portrays a sense of urgency and pretends to be with an official organization to fool people into giving up personal information. To avoid becoming a scam victim, the Michigan State Police offer these tips:
- Do NOT give personal information to unknown callers
- Do not open unsolicited emails from unknown senders
- Do not reply or respond to questionable mailings
- Confirm the identity of a contact by independently speaking with the identified source (for example, your bank, credit card company, government agency, utility etc.)
- Use a reliable independent source, such as the phone book, to confirm the contact’s phone number or email
- Report any suspicious contacts to the police
The only time Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op will gather personal information about you is when YOU call US to establish service or inquire on your account. If your account is delinquent, you will receive a notice on your bill and you will receive automated calls from our phone notification system. The call will instruct you to make payment using our secure automated phone system or on our website.
The MI Attorney General’s website provides Consumer Alert information and outlines various scam types, common themes and how to avoid becoming a victim at: michigan.gov.
