Wake Electric, along with other electric co-ops in N.C., is warning consumers that thieves posing as Duke Energy employees are trying to steal their money and personal information. The scammers are calling customers and saying they are “with Duke Energy in Wilmington,” and that they are handling remote disconnections for cooperatives and other utilities.

They warn that electricity will be disconnected unless they receive payment immediately. The scammers instruct the victims to purchase a Green Dot MoneyPak from a local store (sometimes Wal-Mart or CVS) and provide the confirmation number on the receipt to the caller to prevent disconnection.

Wake Electric says their employees never call to obtain account or personal information. Additionally, Duke Energy never handles remote connections for cooperatives.

If you ever doubt the identity of someone claiming to represent your electric cooperative over the phone, hang up and call Wake Electric at 919-863-6300 or 1-800-474-6300.