Empire Electric Association is reporting an active scam in the company’s service territory, according to a notice on the company’s website.

A person pretending to work for Empire Electric is contacting local businesses and threatening to shut off their power if demands are not met within a limited time.

A business owner recently lost money after being approached by a person pretending to work for Empire Electric. He was approached on the weekend, and the owner thought this might be a scam. He was told by the person to call the after-hours 800 number to speak with his supervisor.

The person told the business owner that Empire Electric had reassessed deposits on business accounts and he owed a past due amount of $500. The owner was skeptical, but when the person called him back, the caller ID showed the Empire Electric main number of 565-4444. The owner, not wanting to lose business by having his power shut off, paid the amount requested.

Empire Electric is urging people not to fall victim to this scam. The company sends multiple notices to members before disconnecting service and will not disconnect on the weekend when the office is closed, and will not request a Money Pak payment. The company urges members to be on guard and to report any suspicious collection calls to the billing office at 970-565-4444 or 800-709-3726.