We will not call customers and demand immediate payment or financial information. If someone calls demanding immediate payment, rather than working with you to establish a payment plan, that is a scam. If you suspect you have been contacted by a scammer, call (206) 684-3000 to verify your account status.
Each year, scammers take deceitful and aggressive measures to target our customers. Typically, scammers demand financial and personal information in addition to payment with a pre-paid credit card, threatening customers with a shutoff of service. This isn't how City Light does business.
As scammers continue to prey on our region, here’s what you need to know to protect yourself.
How can you spot a scammer?
Scammers tend to take advantage of stressful situations in order to demand financial and personal information. This demand is usually accompanied with a threat to shut off your power.
Although the strategies of scammers change, here are a few tips to help you spot a potential scam. Scammers may:
- Pose as a City Light employee and contact you by phone or in person.
- Pressure you to obtain pre-paid credit cards or third-party digital apps to make immediate payments.
- Threaten to shut off power if payment is not made immediately.
- Target businesses, customers with limited English proficiency, and elderly customers.
What should you do if someone attempts to scam you?
- If you suspect you have been contacted by a scammer, call a customer service representative at (206) 684-3000 to verify your account status.
- If you believe you have fallen victim to a scam, you can report it to the Seattle Police Department online or call (206) 625-5011.
- Let City Light know about the scam attempt by reporting it to us online or call (206) 684-3000.
- If someone claiming to be from City Light approaches you at home and asks for personal or financial information, requests to enter your home, or cannot provide you with employee identification, immediately shut your door, secure your home and call 911. City Light employees will never need to enter your home to collect a bill or conduct any sort of test.
How can you protect yourself from scams?
The best ways to protect yourself from scams are to know your account information, your billing procedure, your utility’s communication methods, and your level of risk. For example, scammers tend to take advantage of stressful situations and target businesses, elderly customers, and customers with limited English proficiency.
How is City Light protecting you from scams?
City Light takes the threat of scams seriously and take the following steps to protect our customers:
- We inform our customers of potential scams in our service area.
- We collect information from customers who report scams.
- We raise awareness of scammers' tactics and strategies.
- We clearly define how we conduct our business with you.
City Light will never call, email, or visit your home demanding immediate payment to avoid a shutoff. Anyone who falls behind on payments will receive at least two written notifications before the shutoff process starts. City Light makes every effort to work with you to establish a payment plan.
If someone calls you demanding immediate payment, rather than seeking to work with you to establish a payment plan, that person is a scammer. Hang up right away and call (206) 684-3000.