Citizens Duped by Power Bill Phone Scam in Stafford: Police

STAFFORD, VA — There's been a recent rash of reports by residents saying they likely fell for a phone scam demanding immediate payment for overdue Dominion Power bills, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office.

The calls, police say, most definitely are bogus.

Ditto is the word from Dominion Power, which supplied a list of customer tips:

• Dominion Virginia Power will never require payment over the phone or require payment on a pre-paid debit card.
• Dominion does not direct customers to make payment at any of their offices; designated payment centers can be found online.
• If customers wish to pay their bill by phone, they are directed to BillMatrix at 1-800-573-1147. Please note: customers will never be contacted by BillMatrix requiring payment.)
• If a customer is behind on a monthly bill, they should contact Dominion to set up a mutually agreed upon payment plan. Dominion provides a customer with notifications on their bill before power is disconnected.
• If a customer is suspicious of a caller, they are encouraged to collect information from the scammer including the caller's name, any phone numbers or other details before hanging up and reporting to local law enforcement.
• Customers should always call Dominion at 1-866-DOM-HELP to verify that the company is attempting to reach them before releasing any personal information.

Image via Stafford County Sheriff's Office