When Sal Alayoubi realized he'd been scammed, it was already too late.
As the owner of Van Dyke Collision shop, he took a call from somebody who identified himself as a DTE worker and said there was a big mix up with a previous payment.
The man told Alayoubi he needed to pay $490 dollars, 3 months of payment, to make sure the lights stayed on, which as as a business owner, he took very seriously.
The scammer said he could most easily pay the bill by using a MoneyPak electronic transfer, at a nearby pharmacy.
While it was strange method of payment, Alayoubi says he was thrown off by the fact that the phoner's call system sounded just like DTE and the man somehow knew his private account information.
"Somebody spent a let of time doing it. It was professional," said Alayoubi.
When Alayoubi looked up the number scamming him, he says he found several other Metro Detroiters complaining of the same fraudulent tactics.
DTE says they're aware of the scams. They say the way scammers get account information, such as details on past payments, is through making multiple phone calls.
They continuously call, impersonating DTE, asking several questions, until they finally get all the info they need to make you think they're legitimate.
DTE says cases like this have ticked up over the past 18 months and that customers need to beware.
They're reminding customers that as an electric company, they will never call clients demanding a specific form of payment. If that happens, it's a red flag.
If a representative does call, they say customers should ask for their identification. Have them verify an account number.
And if a customer does get scammed, they should contact police immediately. Law enforcement may be able to help track and void an electronic transfer.
You can get tips on fraud prevention in the document below:
Fraud Prevention Tips by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
