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LG&E warning consumers of elaborate 'shut off' scam

Multiple WHAS11 News viewers said they first received a warning call or voicemail about their services being shut off.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — LG&E is warning consumers of a sophisticated scam working its way through the community.

Multiple WHAS11 News viewers said they first received a warning call or voicemail about their services being shut off and then minutes later, an LG&E employee showed up to service their home.

LG&E said it’s a way for scammers to get money from consumers by asking for payments over the phone. They’re not just tricking customers, they’re tricking LG&E too.

“They not only call the person they’re trying to scam, they also call us as if they were the customer and reporting an issue – so then our crews are dispatched – so it’s very elaborate at times,” Chris Whelan, vice president-communications and corporate responsibility said.

Here are some red flags to look for:

  • Tell customers their account is past due and require immediate payment by a prepaid debit/gift card or payment app like Cash App or Venmo through a smartphone. If you receive a call, it’s likely a scam.
  • Show up to your home or business unannounced without proper identification and claim to be a representative of LG&E, KU or ODP.
  • Provide a fake account number in hopes you don’t remember or can’t locate your real account number.

If this happens to you, LG&E recommends calling them directly and never make any kind of payment over the phone.

For more on how to avoid being scammed, visit LG&E's website.

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