The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has issued a nationwide warning about a new scam claiming "President Obama will pay consumers' utility bills through a new federal program". 

 

How the scam works: 

1. Consumers are contacted with the above or a similar claim through:

     • telephone calls

     • fliers

     • social media

     • text messages, and

     • other means.

 

2. To receive the money, scammers claim they need the consumer's Social Security number and bank routing number or account number.

 

3. In return, customers are given a fraudulent bank routing number to use in order to pay their utility bills through an automated telephone service.

 

4. The payment service initially "accepts" the payment, but then declines it within a few days when the banking information is discovered to be invalid.

 

5. As such, the consumer's bill has not been paid and his/her Social Security number and personal financial information have been compromised.

 

The BBB offers tips to consumers to avoid becoming a victim of this scam, and additional information on identity theft scams.