Scammers are calling Huntersville Electric customers and asking for payment, sometimes from the town's own number. The town never takes electric payments by phone. Here is what to do.

Scammers are phoning Huntersville Electric customers and demanding payment for their power, the town said this week. In some cases the calls show the town Electric Department’s own phone number on caller ID.

The town has had reports of the calls from several customers. It posted the warning on Monday in a scam alert on its website.

The one rule to remember

The Town of Huntersville does not collect payment information or take electric payments over the phone, the town said. Any caller asking for your card or bank details to pay a Huntersville Electric bill is not the town, whatever the screen says.

Scammers can fake the number that appears on caller ID. That is called spoofing, and the town said caller ID should not be treated as proof of who is calling.

What the town says to do

  • Do not give personal, banking or credit card details to anyone who calls you unprompted.
  • If a call seems suspicious, hang up.
  • Call the Electric Department yourself at 704-948-0550, the number on the town’s Electric page.
  • For general account questions, email csrelectric@huntersville.org.

The town said scammers rely on urgency and fear to push people into acting quickly. It asked residents to share the warning with friends, family, neighbors and co-workers.

What it means for you

First, check who supplies your power. Three utilities serve Huntersville: Huntersville Electric, Duke Energy and EnergyUnited. Your bill says which one is yours. Our power outages page lists each one’s numbers.

If you are a Huntersville Electric customer, you can pay on your own terms. The town’s online payment portal is linked from its Electric page. Bank drafts are set up through the town’s customer forms page.

For other town departments and their numbers, see our guide to who to call at the town.