The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) is warning state residents to beware of telephone scammers offering them credits on their utility bills in return for their Social Security numbers and bank routing numbers.
The scammers claim they need the numbers so that consumers can take advantage of a federal utility payment assistance program. There is no such program.
DCP says people in a many states have fallen victim to the ploy, making it one of the most successful recent scams. Victims include 2,000 people in Tampa , Florida , and at least 10,000 people in New Jersey California , North Carolina , Pennsylvania , and Utah Connecticut
