A Provo family is worried about how it is going to make ends meet and cover bills after losing over $1,000 in a utility phone scam.

Maria Granados, a Provo resident and mother of three, said through an interpreter that she received a call from someone posing as a representative of Provo Power on Tuesday and was told the service at her home would be cut off that evening unless she made an immediate credit card payment.

“We didn’t want to get the power shut off because it was about to be 6 p.m. and we knew Provo Power closes at six, so we were worried about being without power all night,” Maria Granados said through an interpreter.

She said the caller also promised a refund for previous credit card bill payments only if Granados remitted a payment right away.

The caller reportedly pressured her to go to a Walmart or Family Dollar and use a specific QR code to pay the bill.

“And they say, ‘If you want to go to the city, you can, but it’s going to take longer, (and) you possibly won’t be able to get the reimbursement that we’re promising right now,'” Granados said.

Initially, nothing appeared suspicious about the correspondence as the caller provided Granados with information such as her and her husband’s names, address and the exact amounts she had paid for the last three months.

Granados said her husband’s paycheck of just over $1,000 had already been deposited into their bank account, but after making the payment, which she said was around $330, there was an overdraft fee of more than $700.

All of their money was wiped out as a result of a utility phone scam.

After realizing what happened, Granados said she canceled her card and tried to get help from the bank, but they couldn’t reimburse her.

The incident has left the family devastated and scrambling to cover other expenses.

Granados explained that she stays at home with their young kids while her husband works, so making the most of their finances from his paychecks is crucial to staying afloat.

“We don’t have money to pay our mortgage or anything right now. Everything we had, they took it,” a visibly emotional Granados said through an interpreter.

Provo City officials say they are doing what they can to help the Granados family.

Amanda Ercanbrack, Provo City customer service director, said they are working with Community Action Services and Food Bank to provide assistance through what’s called the help fund. She said citizens can make donations to help with families impacted by scammers.

“We have an agreement that if anyone has filed a police claim for something like this, they will get priority service,” Ercanbrack told the Daily Herald. “We really want to make an effort to help people like this.”

Ultimately, city officials are warning citizens to be extra cautious, as they say there’s been an uptick in residents reporting scammer calls.

“We are aware of approximately 10 individuals who have fallen victim to these scams,” Provo Power Director Scott Bunker said in an email. “However, it’s possible there are others who haven’t reported their experience.”

Provo Power, Provo 311 Customer Service and the Provo Police Department all report seeing an increase in scams coming through calls, texts, emails, fake websites and even door-to-door tactics, according to a press release.

Provo Power encouraged customers to keep the following safety tips in mind:

• Be suspicious if you receive an email, text or phone call regarding your utility bill if you have not requested communications from Provo City.
• Verify the person you are engaging with is a Provo City employee. As a reminder, Provo City will NEVER contact customers in-person or by phone to collect payment.
• For customers using Provo City’s online bill pay system, always make online payments directly through MyUsage.provo.org instead of using search engines.
• Never provide personal information via email or click any suspicious links. Even if caller ID says a phone call is from Provo City, it could be a scammer. If something seems suspicious, hang up and check the account online or call customer service at 801-852-6000.

Granados echoed the guidance to be vigilant when dealing with bill collectors.

“Do not trust anybody over the phone, and if you need to confirm something, just come to the office. And if it sounds too good to be true, it’s most likely no good,” she said through an interpreter.