BOONE, Iowa—The Boone County Communications Center continues to increase in reports of scam phone calls.  Over the weekend, Boone Police handled two reports on Saturday morning, both concerning phone scams.  In both calls, the caller stated the homeowner was past due on paying their energy bill and work crews were en route to Boone to terminate their electric service unless the amount owed was paid immediately. The bill was then to be paid using pre-paid money cards.  In this case, Boone Police remind residents:

To avoid being scammed, know that Alliant Energy will NEVER:
•Ask you to purchase prepaid credit cards to avoid disconnection
•Ask for payment or personal information over email
•Ask for money when we visit a residence or business

and will ALWAYS:
•Be able to confirm your account address, current bill amount and balance due over the phone
•Provide past due notification in writing before service is shut off

Always be concerned when a demand for payment is made by telephone.

The most popular scams reported locally have been calls to older residents from an individual claiming to be a grandchild or a family member in need of funds to pay for some sort of emergency.  There are also reports of spoofed phone numbers, identifying the caller as being from a law enforcement agency or even the IRS, demanding some kind of payment, usually with pre-paid money cards.

If you ever have any question concerning a possible scam phone call of any kind, not just Alliant Energy, contact the Boone Police Department at 515-432-2211, PRIOR to making any arrangement to make a payment.

(contributed information from Boone Police Department)