Roanoke Business Hit by AEP Scam!

Frantz Diamonds’ Verification

In a recent incident reported by Gamestanza, Sherry Frantz, owner of Frantz Diamonds, received a call she initially believed to be from Appalachian Power (AEP), her utility provider. The caller claimed that her account was 60 days past due and threatened to disconnect her power within 20 minutes unless immediate payment was made. Frantz, however, had paid her bill at the start of the month and found the situation suspicious.

Recognizing the potential for a scam, Frantz took immediate action. She contacted AEP directly using the phone number listed on her bill, not the number provided by the suspicious caller. This crucial step proved to be the deciding factor in uncovering the scam.

AEP’s Confirmation

Upon verifying Frantz’s account information, AEP confirmed that her bill was indeed current and that there were no outstanding payments. Furthermore, AEP informed Frantz that she was the third person that day to report a similar scam, highlighting the increasing prevalence of this type of fraudulent activity.

A Rising Threat

Phone scams targeting individuals and businesses are on the rise, with utilities being a particularly popular target. Scammers often exploit the fear of service disconnection to pressure their victims into making quick payments. These scams can be highly sophisticated, with fraudsters using spoofed phone numbers, fake caller IDs, and convincing scripts to appear legitimate.

The emotional distress and financial losses caused by these scams can be significant. Businesses, in particular, are vulnerable to these attacks, as they often handle large sums of money and may have multiple employees who could be targeted.

Protecting Your Business: Lessons Learned

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and proactive measures to protect your business from phone scams.

AEP’s Official Advice

Appalachian Power offers the following advice to help businesses and individuals avoid falling victim to these scams:

• Never give out personal or financial information over the phone unless you initiated the call.
• Always verify the caller’s identity by using a phone number from a trusted source, such as your bill or the company’s official website.
• Be wary of calls demanding immediate payment or threatening service disconnection.
• If you suspect a scam, hang up and contact the company directly using a known phone number.



Empowering Businesses

Gamestanza recommends that businesses take the following steps to strengthen their defenses against phone scams:

• Establish clear internal protocols for handling incoming phone calls, particularly those related to payments and service disruptions.
• Train employees to identify and avoid common scam tactics, such as high-pressure sales techniques and requests for urgent action.
• Implement a system for verifying caller information, such as using a third-party verification service or cross-referencing caller IDs with known contact lists.
• Consider using a dedicated phone line for handling sensitive information, such as financial transactions.



Community Awareness

The best defense against phone scams is awareness. Gamestanza encourages businesses to share information about these scams with their employees, customers, and the wider community. By working together, we can create a more informed and resilient environment that is less susceptible to these fraudulent attacks.