Submitted by Megan Bosshart
Last year, Florida ranked first in the nation for fraud according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), with residents of all ages impacted, highlighting the need for education around common scams.
This National Consumer Protection Week (March 2-8), Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is sharing guidance and tips to help customers avoid falling victim to a scam.
Scammers’ New Tactics
Scammers use advanced tactics to deceive people by pretending to be a legitimate company and requesting payment or personal information. Recently, scammers have started exploiting internet search results to display fake websites with misleading phone numbers. Victims end up speaking to agents who impersonate a company and try to extract sensitive information, including account and financial details.
How to Protect Yourself
FPL urges customers to recognize suspicious activity and use these scam prevention practices:
*Avoid online search for phone numbers. To contact FPL, call the number on your bill.
*Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers can manipulate the name to appear to be FPL.
*Hang up on suspicious callers. FPL will never demand immediate payment, ask customer to pay through Zelle or gift card or threaten immediate disconnection.
*Delete suspicious texts or emails asking for payment or personal information.
* Shut the door and call the police if a visitor without FPL identification tries to collect payment or aggressively sells you any products.
If a customer suspects they have been targeted by a scam, they are advised to immediately report it to FPL and local law enforcement. In case of phone or digital scams, customers should also file a complaint with both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Florida’s state consumer protection agency.
FPL’s Commitment to Customer Security
FPL follows a well-established set of processes and systems to ensure the confidentiality and security of customers’ information. The utility provider fully cooperates with local and state law enforcement agencies to investigate reported scams. Customer reports help identify fraud trends and can lead to investigations and arrests.
As a member of Utilities Against Scams, FPL is committed to educating and spreading awareness across the industry on new trends and tactics. To stay informed on the latest scams and to report any fraudulent activity, please visit www.FPL.com/protect.
