By Darrell Stranger

Record Year For BC Hydro Scams

Jan 18, 2019 | 1:16 PM

PRINCE GEORGE- BC Hydro customers are being warned about scams after a record number of attempts to steal money in 2018. Fraudsters posed as BC Hydro employees in calls, texts and emails and threatened disconnection if a payment was not made and were 50 per-cent more successful last year than in 2017.

To avoid disconnection customers were asked to purchase pre-paid cash or credit cards or deposit money into a bitcoin ATM. Once the fraudsters receive the payment, customers would be out hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

Here in Prince George there were 14 reported cases of scam phone calls compared to just 5 in 2017. Only one in each year however was able to get money from the customer. BC Hydro says it does not collect credit card or bank information over the phone, email or text. They also do not accept pre-paid cards or bitcoin.

If customers suspect the call is a scam they should hang up immediately and call BC Hydro at 1-800-BCHYDRO.