Scam hitting South Lake Tahoe residents

South Lake Tahoe residents are reporting being the target of a phone scam where people pretending to be from Liberty Utilities call and demand payment.

According to the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, the caller tells the resident that they have a past due bill, and threaten to shut off their power if they don't pay the bill over the phone immediately.

If you ever have questions about your bill, you can contact Liberty Utilities directly at 800-782-2506. You can also go online to Liberty Energy and view their legitimate payment methods at: http://www.libertyutilities.com/west/customer_support/payment_options.html

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department has also received information from federal authorities that a similar scam involving the IRS is also occurring. You can research more about the IRS scam here: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Repeats-Warning-about-Phone-Scams

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department wants to remind residents not to give out any personal information over the phone to anyone calling you unsolicited. That includes your name, birth date, social security number, debit/credit card numbers, or any banking information. The same is true for any solicitation or requests for money received by email. Millions of dollars are lost each year nationwide through scams such as these.