Businesses around Fredericksburg have received calls from an unknown scam artists who’s pretending to be with the City of Fredericksburg utility department, asking for overdue payments, according to Daisy Schneider, utility billing manager.
The scammers have been calling businesses, including hotels and restaurants, during peak business hours to ask for late utility payments. Demands are made for a specific amount, and the caller threatens a shut off of services if payment isn’t received, sometimes within an hour.
They have been instructing these businesses to go to Walmart and make a transfer payment.
Schneider said the city never uses a third party for payments or late collections and the city only receives payment in three ways: via its website, a bank draft or in person.
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