⚠️ Phone Scam Alert: Utility Disconnection Threats Targeting Local Customers

Sequatchie Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) is warning members across its service area about an active phone scam using false claims of immediate disconnection and billing changes to pressure customers into revealing personal information or making unauthorized payments.

🚨 What Scammers Are Claiming

According to SVEC, callers have been falsely claiming that members’ electricity will be disconnected unless immediate action is taken. The scammers are also making false statements about recent changes to SVEC’s billing system and claiming that the cooperative no longer accepts checks for payments over $1,500. None of these claims are true.

💡 How the Scam Works

Scammers deliberately use threats of immediate disconnection to create urgency and panic. This pressure tactic is designed to push members-especially small business owners who depend on reliable power-into making hasty decisions, providing account numbers, or sharing other sensitive personal information before they can verify the caller’s legitimacy.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

If you receive a suspicious call claiming to be from SVEC, hang up immediately. Do not provide payment information, account numbers, or other personal details to the caller. Instead, contact your local SVEC office directly using a trusted phone number to verify any concerns about your account. Taking a moment to verify through an official channel can prevent costly fraud.

📣 Spread the Word

SVEC encourages all members to share this warning with friends, family, and local business owners in the community. Small business owners may be particularly vulnerable to these scams because of their reliance on continuous power service and the potential financial impact of a disconnection. Community awareness is one of the strongest defenses against fraud.

Remember: When in doubt, hang up and call SVEC directly using a number you know is legitimate.