I nearly fell for it

July 2026

Think you’re too smart for a scam? So did I—until a fake arrest call. Learn how co-ops help members avoid costly fraud.

I used to think I was too smart to fall for a scam.

Then I got a phone call telling me I had missed jury duty and there was a warrant out for my arrest.

I was cleaning out my garage when the call came in. For a few minutes, I believed him. That part still makes me cringe. I make a living asking questions and verifying facts. Yet there I was, heart pounding as I tried to figure out how I had somehow missed a jury summons and whether I (a lifelong rule follower) was about to be arrested.

I wasn’t careless, but I was caught off guard.

That’s what scammers count on. They don’t need you to stop being intelligent. They just need you to be busy, distracted or scared.

For me, it was the threat of handcuffs. For electric cooperative members, it’s often the threat of losing power.

Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives have seen an increase in scam attempts aimed at members. Callers claim they represent the cooperative and insist a bill is overdue. They invent a balance and demand immediate payment to avoid disconnection. It doesn’t take much to make someone second-guess themselves. The methods change, but the goal stays the same. They want you to act before you think.

One of the things I love about electric cooperatives is how personal they still are. Problems get solved by employees who genuinely want to help.

If you receive a call demanding immediate payment, hang up and call your cooperative using the number on your bill, SmartHub app or the cooperative’s official website. Never rely on a number provided by the caller.

If someone pressures you to act immediately, slow down. Scammers count on embarrassment and urgency doing their work for them.

So give yourself permission to be cautious. The person who truly works for your cooperative will understand if you hang up and call back.

The lights in your home matter to you, and you matter to your electric cooperative.