Bradenton Police Warn Residents About Utility Scam

Bradenton Police are warning consumers about a scam targeting utility customers by promising refunds on their utility bills.

The scammers contact consumers through posted flyers, social media, texting and or in-person visits. The scammers ask for the consumer’s social security number and then provide a phony federal reserve bank routing number to use to receive a credit. The routing number is fake and no payments are posted to the consumer’s bill.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has said this is a multi-state scam targeting utility customers. The scam claims that President Obama is providing credits or applying payments to utility bills.

Authorities are warning consumers not to provide personal information to strangers who come to your door or in response to unsolicited emails or social media posts. They also encourage you to question anyone who presents themselves as a representative of a utility company and ask for identification before allowing anyone inside your home or onto your property.

For additional information, contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at www.800helpfla.com or by calling 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) within Florida, 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832) en Español or (850) 410-3800 from outside of Florida.