Independence Warns Utilities Customers of Increase in Scam Attempts During Holiday Season

The holiday season is underway, and scammers took the opportunity to take advantage of City of Independence customers. Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 26, customers reported receiving calls which appeared to be from the City of Independence Utilities Department. 

The scam artists are employing a tactic using caller ID spoofing. What is caller ID spoofing? This type of spoofing is when a caller manipulates caller ID to display the name and number to mask the true origin of the call. 

Here’s what customers are reporting: The customer answers a call that appears to be from a City of Independence official phone number. Posing as one of our employees, the scam artist asks for account information and then uses that information to get online and find out the customer’s fees and balance. Then the imposter asks for payment, even offering a “discount.” Don’t fall for it. 

With the increase in scams coming through calls, texts, emails and door-to-door tactics, the City of Independence is warning residents to stay vigilant. Here are some ways to spot a utility scam:  

Urgency: Ask you to pay the bill now, or a portion of it, to avoid disconnection.  

Pay: We will NEVER call you and demand payment.  

Verify: If you receive a call asking for payment, hang up and call our customer service line at 816-325-7930.   

What to do next: After you’ve reported the scam to our customer service line, report the spoofing and phishing scam to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at: ic3.gov