Small-business owners on the Island are being warned that fraudsters are posing as B.C. Hydro and threatening to cut off power if they’re not paid.
Scammers claiming to represent the power utility contact customers by phone, email or text and threaten immediate disconnection if customers don’t purchase pre-paid cash or credit cards, or deposit money into a bitcoin ATM.
Gail McClymont, managing director of Pemberton Holmes’ commercial property management division, said the company was told this week that unless it paid nearly $3,000 in cash, the power to one of the buildings it manages would be cut.
McClymont said the scammers were sophisticated, had clearly done their homework and had staff convinced for a short time that the threat was real.
“They had all the right answers,” she said, noting the scammers even had a working 1-800 phone number that, when called, offered options to speak to various B.C. Hydro departments.
The fraudsters, who were savvy enough to reach the correct person in the office and even demanded a cash sum that was close to the company’s power costs for two months, imposed a 90-minute deadline for payment or the power would be turned off.
McClymont said that even though the company had proof that all B.C. Hydro bills had been paid, staff had serious concerns about the threat.
Alarm bells started going off, however, when the scammers refused to take cheques and demanded cash.
“And they wanted it deposited into some kind of B.C. Hydro deposit machine,” she said.
McClymont said the company then contacted B.C. Hydro and the police.
“But because they gave an hour and a half [deadline], people start to freak out — had that been a residential tenant or an elderly person, they might have got the money out of them,” she said.
B.C. Hydro spokesman Ted Olynyk said the utility informs customers well in advance if it’s going to disconnect power for non-payment, including mailing multiple notices, calling frequently and trying to make arrangement for payment. “The last thing we want to do is disconnect, because we know it’s an inconvenience and a hardship for the customer and it is time-consuming for us, as it takes people away from other things that need doing.”
Olynyk said the utility doesn’t take credit card or bank information over the phone or by email or text, will not accept credit card or pre-paid cards and offers no refunds through Interac e-transfer.
He advised customers who worry they’re not speaking to a legitimate B.C. Hydro representative to immediately hang up and call 1-800-224-9376.
“Reports of scams against our customers is unfortunately not a new thing,” he said. “It comes in waves.”
aduffy@timescolonist.com
