Beware of this CenterPoint Energy scam after Hurricane Nicholas

The caller demands that the victim pay a sizeable sum of money, or their electricity will be shut off. Typically, they’re asked to load a prepaid card and read the serial number over the phone. By the time the truth is realized, the money has already been transferred to another account. 

Of course, the whole thing is a load of crock. The victim’s power was never in jeopardy. It’s called the Green Dot scam, according to CenterPoint, and one of several the utility company warns against. 

CenterPoint representatives will never ask for payment through prepaid cards or threaten to disconnect your power over the phone, according to its website. They urge anyone with questions about a bill to check their account online. 

If you’ve fallen victim to a utility scam, CenterPoint has a point-by-point list of what to do and how to report it.