A slick-looking website advertising help to “start, transfer, and cancel electricity and gas services” is quietly grabbing online deposits from people in Middle Tennessee, Cumberland Electric warned Friday. The electric co-op says the service is not affiliated with the utility and is telling members to deal directly with their power provider, not third-party sign-up sites. Anyone with questions, or who thinks they may have paid a fraudulent site, is urged to call CEMC at 800-987-2362.
CEMC flags fake sign-up site
Cumberland Electric publicly called out the bogus site after members reported being pushed to pay deposits online. As reported by WSMV4, the co-op says the mystery site “appears to be collecting online deposits from consumers seeking new electric and gas service.” The station noted CEMC did not publicly share the name of the site. The co-op is also reminding members to verify any in-person visit from someone claiming to be a utility worker before letting them onto their property.
What the co-op recommends
Cumberland Electric has repeatedly urged members to skip third-party bill-pay or sign-up services and go straight to the co-op for starting or changing service. Its consumer-advice page makes it plain: “We will never send a text message, email, or directly call you demanding payment,” per Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation. That guidance outlines classic red flags such as surprise payment demands, high-pressure tactics to pay immediately, or requests to use oddball payment methods. Members are told to call 800-987-2362 to confirm any outreach. If someone has already tried to squeeze money out of you, CEMC advises contacting your bank and local law enforcement.
How these scams work and how to avoid them
Scammers often build look-alike websites or buy search ads that funnel people to fake sign-up pages pretending to be their local utility, a trick that has been popping up around the country. Utility scam alerts in other regions describe nearly identical moves and emphasize going to the official utility website directly, according to Evergy. On the federal level, “If the caller demands payment by gift card, cash reload card, wiring money or cryptocurrency, it is a scam,” the Federal Trade Commission warns. The agency also recommends ignoring links and phone numbers in unsolicited messages and instead using the contact information on your actual bill. Typing your utility’s web address yourself and calling the number printed on your statement are simple habits that can block most of these schemes.
If you already paid
If you think you have already sent money to a fraudulent site, CEMC’s advice is to move fast. Contact your bank immediately to start a dispute and file a police report, then call CEMC at 800-987-2362 so the co-op can flag your account and walk you through next steps, according to Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation. The utility also encourages members to share whatever they have on the scammer, including the website address along with any emails or screenshots, so the co-op can warn others and coordinate with law enforcement.
