The City of Alcoa issued a warning today to its utility customers of a possible scam operation after a business customer reported receiving a fraudulent telephone call to collect money on their account.
An Alcoa business was contacted by telephone from an 866 area code by a caller identifying himself as “Joe” with the “City of Alcoa Disconnect Department”. The caller stated that the business needed to make a $495 payment or their service would be cut off. Following the call, the business owner went to the City of Alcoa to check his account and found the call to be a scam attempt.
The City of Alcoa does not telephone customers requesting credit card numbers for utility payments. Any offsite utility payment to the City of Alcoa is made only via the automated telephone payment system or by the online payment system on the City’s web pages. Again, no one from the City would call a customer and take a credit card payment over the phone. The City of Alcoa only disconnects utility service for nonpayment during regular business hours Monday through Friday following written notification. Customers who receive a call demanding immediate cash, credit card or other payment of any kind should simply refuse. Customers who then have any question about their utility account status are encouraged to call the City of Alcoa at 380-4700 the next business day.
Citizens are asked to report any suspicious phone calls from people identifying themselves as a City of Alcoa representative to the City of Alcoa at 380-4700 or the City of Alcoa Police Department at 981-4111.
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