PLEASE BE AWARE AND SHARE IMMEDIATELY: A CEC member notified us this morning that she received a call from someone claiming to be with the co-op and he stated that her electric account was pending disconnection for failure to pay $900. The man would not provide his name, only that he was with Covington Electric. The caller ID showed Covington Electric, but the fake number was 407-550-2189. Unfortunately, this member gave the scammer her bank account number believing she owed this amount and was about to have her power cutoff. She called CEC after the fact, and our MSR advised her to call her bank asap to stop payment and/or dispute the charge, and to explain this was a scam activity. If any CEC member gets a call like this, hang up and call our office at 800-239-4121 to report it. CEC will never call a member demanding immediate payment over the phone or threaten to cut power if said payment is not made immediately. Scammers can easily manipulate fake phone numbers, alter Caller ID, and use other hacks to appear authentic, but don't be fooled by these criminals. ALWAYS hang up and call CEC directly. NEVER give anyone sensitive personal information or banking information over the phone, by email or text, or if someone randomly knocks on your door claiming to be with a certain company. Please helps us spread the word about this criminal activity so we can stop these predators. Thank you.
Generator Safety
Portable generators can be very helpful to consumers during outages, but we urge CEC members to follow these safety guidelines when using portable generators:
- Never connect a generator directly to your home’s wiring. This can cause back feeding along power lines and electrocute anyone coming in contact with them, including lineman making repairs.
- Never plug a generator into a regular household outlet. This can also cause back feeding and pose an electrocution risk to utility workers and others served by the same utility transformer.
- Always plug appliances directly into generators. Connecting the generator to your home’s circuits or wiring must be done by a licensed electrician who will install a transfer switch to prevent back feeding.
- Use heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords. Make sure extension cords are free of tears and the plug has all three prongs.
- Ensure your generator is properly grounded.
- Never overload a generator. A portable generator should be used only when necessary and only to power essential equipment or appliances.
- Turn off all equipment powered by the generator before shutting down the generator.
- Keep the generator dry. Operate it on a dry surface under an open structure.
- Always have a fully charged fire extinguisher nearby.
- Never fuel a generator while it is operating.
- Read and adhere the manufacturer’s instructions for safe operation.