Nova Scotia Power : warns of a phone scam

HALIFAX, NS - Nova Scotia Power is warning customers about a telephone scam in which a caller poses as a representative of the company and demands money via a pre-paid credit card.

In this scam, the caller states that the customer's account is in arrears and the person must immediately pay the balance owing or their power will be disconnected. The caller directs the person to buy a prepaid credit card and then phone a 1-888 or 1-866 number to make payment. The fraudulent calls are also being made to customers of other electric utilities across Canada.

Nova Scotia Power previously issued a news release regarding this scam on December 19. Since then, the scam has continued, and over the past couple of weeks, the criminals perpetrating it have focused mainly on restaurants.

These calls are not from Nova Scotia Power. Nova Scotia Power does not ask for payment via prepaid credit cards. Halifax Regional Police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre have been alerted to the situation.

Any customers who are suspicious about a request for payment are urged to call NS Power's Customer Care Centre at 1-800-428-6230.

Nova Scotia Power works regularly with customers who owe on their accounts. Disconnection is the last resort after all other options to provide a payment schedule have been pursued.