Identifying the good guys – and thwarting the bad ones

York Electric works hard to earn and keep your trust. We also look out for our members by alerting them to possible scams.

Some scammers are brazen enough to walk right up to your door and some are now using technology and telephones to commit identity theft.

First, we want to help you identify your co-op’s employees and those of the contract utility company we hire, Asplundh, who help maintain your cooperative’s rights of way.

All of our field employees, and many office employees, wear York Electric uniforms and drive vehicles with our name and logo. Should you have any doubts about whether or not the person working in your area is a legitimate YEC employee, please call us. Asplundh’s crews don’t wear our uniforms, of course, but their trucks are easy to spot and identify.

Unfortunately, technology masks a lot of crooks. Co-ops nationwide are warning members about a rise in bill payment fraud scams over the phone.

[PDF] Service Scam Alert

4.66 MB 507 downloads

Fake home energy audits and scams related to prepaid credit cards are becoming more common at co-ops across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Callers demand people make a large payment to cancel an order to shut off power. They pretend to negotiate and accept a lower amount if you immediately obtained a prepaid credit card.

Variations include calls claiming expiration of automatic bank drafts. Scammers seek personal financial information, which could enable a thief to raid bank accounts. Other frauds include “Home Walk-Through” scam calls. The member is told they can save money on their utility bills if they schedule a walk-through energy audit of the home. It’s a technique to get a layout of a home for a future burglary.

If you receive a suspicious call regarding your co-op bill, get the caller’s number, hang up and call the police. Never give your credit card number or other personal information over the phone. We will not call or email you for your account number or password. Keep your account information to yourself.

Call York Electric at (803) 684-4248 to report any incident; a member services representative can confirm your bill and let you know of any problems with your account.

Stay safe!