Utility theft costs more than just the price of the stolen electricity or water. When thieves attempt to steal utilities, it can result in fire, flooding, property damage, hazardous conditions, injuries and even death.
Illegally obtained utilities increase rates for everyone, and unauthorized use of utilities or tampering with utility equipment is a crime and punishable by fines and/or prison time. Help prevent injuries and increased rates due to utility thieves by reporting suspicious behavior.
Call our Revenue Assurance division at
407-384-4019 or report utility theft with our
online form.
Identity theft happens when someone steals your personal information and uses it without your permission. For identity theft information, helpful tips, and appropriate forms, you should visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website at www.identitytheft.gov. or call 1-877-438-4338. You may also visit the Florida Office of the Attorney General’s website at https://www.myfloridalegal.com/consumer-protection/how-to-protect-yourself-identity-theft
or call the Fraud Hotline at 1-866-966-7226.
If you are a victim of identity theft for an OUC account that you did not create, you should complete and notarize the Identity Theft Victim’s Complaint and Affidavit issued by the Federal Trade Commission, contact your local police department or sheriff’s office to file a report, and obtain a copy of the police report. Please contact us at reportidentitytheft@ouc.com or call us at 407-423-9018 to report the identity theft for the OUC account that you did not authorize nor create. Please be ready to provide a copy of the completed and notarized Identity Theft Affidavit, a copy of the police report, and proper identification.
OUC wants to make customers aware of a variety of scams that frequently target utility customers. An OUC representative will never request payment or ask for your bank or credit card information over the phone. If a payment is required, you will be directed to an automated phone system or have the opportunity to pay via my.OUC.com or at an authorized payment location. If you have any doubts about the legitimacy of a call, email, text message or visit from someone claiming to be from OUC, especially one in which payment is requested, you should contact us directly at
customerservice@ouc.com or 407-423-9018. Keep in mind that OUC always notifies customers at least a week in advance before disconnecting their service for non-payment.
You should call local law enforcement if you suspect you’ve been the target of a utility scam. Here are some of the most frequent scams:
Immediate Phone Payment Scam
This scam is an automated phone call that threatens to turn off utility service unless the customer makes an immediate payment. Scammers often “spoof,” or disguise, their caller ID to show the call is coming from OUC. The scam often requests the customer pay a fraudulent bill via a prepaid debit card or credit card. Or the scammers could request your banking account information or tell you to purchase a “Green Dot MoneyPak” temporary debit card at a local convenience store and call back with a receipt number and PIN number, resulting in a money transfer.
Customers also should also beware of messages left with a call-back number beginning with 800, 844, 855, 866, 877 or 888.
Door-to-Door Scams
If someone purporting to represent OUC comes to your home and demands that you make a bill payment or tries to sell you a service, that’s a scam. Close the door and call police.
OUC does not conduct door-to-door sales or enter a home unless a customer has requested an appointment, such as a home energy audit. Field technicians occasionally distribute informational door hangers or knock on doors based on operational needs. For example, they may need to gain access to OUC equipment in the right-of-way that may be located behind your home. All OUC employees and contractors are required to display ID badges.
If you do not have a scheduled appointment with an OUC technician and if you doubt the identification of the person, do not allow them into your home or on your property. Contact OUC immediately at 407-423-9018 to verify whether the person is an OUC employee. In most instances, scammers will quickly depart if you inform them you are calling OUC to confirm their identity. If you do have an appointment, always ask to see a valid ID.
Federal Assistance Scam
This scam is disguised as a federal government program that promises to credit or pay utility bills in exchange for customers’ personal information, such as Social Security and banking account numbers. Customers often are contacted by text message, social media and email.
Email and Text Bill-Payment Scams
Scammers use official-looking emails, perhaps with OUC in the sender’s address field, and text messaging to trick unsuspecting victims into paying fraudulent utility bills. Disguising an email address is another form of “spoofing,” but this practice is easy to detect by resting your cursor on the address and clicking on the down arrow to reveal the original sender’s account.
“Smishing” is the use of text messaging to defraud unwitting targets. The message may demand that you click on a link or call a number to make a payment or your electricity or water will be immediately cut off.
Remember, you can safely view your bills online by logging directly into your myOUC account.