We have had a few members call and inform us that phone scammers are contacting them and asking for immediate payment via gift cards or prepaid credit cards to avoid shutoff. They may also offer a discount for immediate payment by phone. The caller ID may even have our name and or number but that can be faked.
If you are not sure that you're speaking to a Douglas Electric Cooperative (DEC) employee, please inform the caller that you're going to hang up and call the office directly to ensure you're speaking with the correct person. At this time our employee will tell you that's fine, say goodbye and wait for you to call back. A phone scammer will argue and try to keep you on the line. Don't be afraid to hang up on the scammer, they're not nice people anyway.
The staff at DEC would like all of you to know that DEC we will never ask for a prepaid credit card, pay pal, or gift card in order to pay your bill. If you have any questions or concerns, please call us at (541) 673-6616.
Thank you
-DEC Staff