YUMA, Ariz- Scammers are calling local businesses including multiple gas stations around the area and threatening to disconnect their city water service if they don’t make a payment as soon as possible.
PIO for the City of Yuma Dave Nash said, “Residential accounts are always done through the mail. We’re always going to send you a bill letting you know the status of your account. There might be some businesses that we might give a courtesy call to make sure they keep their doors open. Particularly, if they’re reliant on water for the service they provide.”
One cashier at AM/PM gas station says this has happened to several of their locations.
One cashier at AM/PM gas station Daniela Villarreal said, “They’ve been calling the managers from gas stations or businesses scamming them, telling them that they haven’t paid their water bill.”
Gas stations including Shell and AM/PM stations have been targeted this past week.
The scammers are asking to send them money to a third party account such as to a green dot card number.
Villarreal said, “They’ve been calling to ask the city and the city’s been saying no that they’re just scams that they’ve been doing on businesses.”
We spoke to Dave Nash with the City of Yuma who mentions if you get a call that claims you need to pay your water bill it’s more than likely a scam considering the city only sends out mailed letters and typically do not make phone calls. Nash gives us some helpful tips on how not to become a victim.
Nash said, “YumaAz.gov one of the top sections you’ll see on the site says pay your bill, start there. There’s a list of options that we have including what we call a MyYumaAccount. That’s the best thing to do in terms of being able to access your own billing information like that.”