Carlton Ridley believed he was making a routine payment to Evergy, the electric utility serving his Kansas City home.
Instead, the $1,050 went to someone impersonating the company.
Ridley discovered the deception only after completing the transaction, according to KCTV5.
Evergy told the station that it was working with Ridley to resolve the situation. The report did not confirm whether the payment had been recovered or identify the person who received it.
Caller ID and Personal Information Can Make the Lie Convincing
The scheme began with a telephone call from someone claiming to represent Evergy. Ridley understood the communication to be legitimate company business and believed the money would be credited toward his electricity account. By the time he realized he had not been dealing with the utility, he had already sent $1,050. KCTV5 did not disclose how Ridley made the payment.
Josh Planos, vice president of communications and public relations for the Better Business Bureau, told KCTV5 that scammers may already possess a target’s name, address and telephone number. Information obtained from data breaches, public records or commercial databases can be used to make an impersonation attempt sound credible.
Scammers can also manipulate caller identification so that a familiar company name or telephone number appears on the recipient’s screen. The Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers can make almost any name or number appear on caller ID, including numbers associated with trusted businesses or government agencies.
Evergy Says Urgent Payment Demands Are a Warning Sign
Evergy’s utility-scam guidance says the company will not call customers and demand immediate account or payment information. For past-due accounts, Evergy says it will not request payment on the same day as a disconnection or threaten to shut off electricity unless an immediate payment is made. Customers facing possible disconnection receive multiple notices beforehand.
Anyone who receives an unexpected collection call should end the conversation and check the account independently. That means signing in through Evergy’s official website or calling a verified number from a recent bill rather than using a number supplied by the caller.
Evergy Metro and Evergy Missouri West customers can contact the utility at 1-888-471-5275. Evergy Kansas Central customers can call 1-800-383-1183.