Tampa, FL – City of Tampa Utilities is alerting customers about a payment scam involving callers allegedly posing as utility employees and demanding money for outstanding bills.
The warning follows reports from residents who received suspicious phone calls from individuals claiming to represent the city’s utility department.
According to city officials, the callers allegedly told customers they had unpaid balances and needed to make immediate payments to resolve their accounts.
Some calls appeared to originate from the city’s official utility call center, suggesting the individuals may be using caller ID spoofing technology to conceal their actual phone numbers.
City officials emphasized that legitimate utility representatives follow established procedures when contacting customers about billing matters.
Employees identify themselves by their last names, explain the purpose of their calls and verify account details, including service addresses and account numbers.
Customers are never required to provide credit card information directly to a city employee over the phone. Instead, representatives direct customers to the city’s secure online payment system.
Residents who receive unexpected payment requests are encouraged to end the call and contact City of Tampa Utilities directly at (813) 274-8811 to verify their account status.
Customers can also check outstanding balances through the city’s official utility payment portal.
City of Tampa Utilities provides water and wastewater services to customers throughout Tampa and surrounding portions of Hillsborough County.
Officials recommend reporting suspected fraudulent calls to the Tampa Police Department.
No arrests or identified suspects have been publicly announced in connection with the reported scheme.
The city continues encouraging customers to verify payment requests before sharing personal or financial information.