LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Entergy Arkansas and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge are teaming up to inform Arkansans of a scam.
It’s one that’s gone on for years, but the scammers are getting better at their job.
If you see Entergy come across your caller ID, it could be a scammer pretending to be the electrical company.
“It’s a professional sounding service representative saying you owe them $400,” said David Lewis, the spokesperson for Entergy.
Lewis said the scammer is calling people on landlines and cell phones demanding immediate money for unpaid bills, and if you don’t send it, your power will be shut off.
Several of his customers have fallen victim to the scam.
“They sound very convincing, and it’s easy to fall for it,” said Davis.
One Little Rock man told THV11 that he received a call from the scammer on his cell phone.
He said the caller had an American accent and the number on the caller I.D. matched Entergy Arkansas’s contact.
He fell for it and paid the scammer $1,700 at a gas station money machine, which was a direction by the caller.
The man said he knew it was a scam after the caller asked for more money.
“All Arkansans who are receiving this phone call are panicking,” said Attorney General Leslie Rutledge.
Rutledge said her office has received about 50 complaints in two weeks regarding this particular scam.
She urges Arkansans to hang up the phone if they receive this call, because Entergy Arkansas will never ask for immediate money over the phone.
“Sadly, for many of theses criminals and con artists, they are overseas,” said Rutledge. “So, it makes it very difficult for us to recoup that money.”
The AG said it’s important to file a report through her office if you are a victim of any scam so authorities can immediately hunt down your money.
“Please share this word with Arkansans, particularly with our elderly who are home alone,” said Rutledge. “They are out to steal your money.”
If you get a call that seems like a scammer, immediately hang up and call the company they are portraying to verify.
Once the company verifies the call as a scam, you should report the call to the AG’s office.