It is an unfortunate reality that scams are alive and well. With quick access to peoples’ phone numbers or contact information, scammers are relentless at trying to steal private information that can lead to a loss of money or identity theft. In doing so, scammers use a number of different tactics. One such approach is the threat of losing or disconnecting a particular service. According to consumer.ftc.gov, “people lose a lot of money to phone scams — sometimes their life savings. Scammers have figured out countless ways to cheat you out of your money over the phone. In some scams, they act friendly and helpful. In others, they might threaten or try to scare you.” The Tampa Bay Electric Scam can come off as alarming, which may prompt innocent people into revealing personal information that can lead to further damage.

In this article, we cover:

The details of the Tampa Bay Electric Scam

First detected on June 26th, 2018, the Tampa Electric Disconnection scam is set up to take users’ personal information. The scam impersonates a disconnection alert from Tampa Electric. It informs the user that their electricity is scheduled to be turned off in the next 30 minutes. The user is prompted to press a number to speak to an Tampa Electric representative. The most called location is Tampa Bay, Florida and the most used numbers are 1-202-833-7500, 1-800-777-9898, 1-502-589-1444, 1-800-968-8243, and 1-305-447-2698.

Actual audio of a disconnection scam exploiting Tampa Electric

Greetings, this is an automated message from the disconnection department of Tampa Electric to inform you that you will be experiencing a disconnection of service today within 30 minutes. Please press one to speak to a representative. Thank you.

This same audio is used to exploit brands in other scams, such as the Tucson Electric Scam, the Burbank Water and Power Disconnection Scam, and the Georgia Power & Electric Scam.

Why the Tampa Bay Electric Scam is dangerous

The Tampa Bay Electric Scam is a dangerous and fraudulent initiative that uses vishing tactics to get people to reveal private information. Innocent victims are caught off guard by whom they believe to be legitimate representatives from Tampa Bay Electric. After hearing an urgent message that guarantees a stoppage of service, victims are prompted to take immediate action to resolve the issue. In doing so, they put themselves at tremendous risk.

How to protect yourself from the Tampa Bay Electric Scam

Protecting yourself from the Tampa Bay Electric Scam is guaranteed with an app like YouMail, which helps you keep your privacy and identity. Rather than letting scammers and fraudsters catch you off guard, YouMail goes to work blocking the bad guys while letting those from whom you want to hear ring your phone. With YouMail, you can get back to doing the things you love knowing that your private information and privacy are protected.

Find about more Robocall Scams at the YouMail Robocall Scam Guide.

To protect yourself from the Tampa Bay Electric Scam, download YouMail today.


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