Winnipeg woman warns of complex Manitoba Hydro scam

A Winnipeg woman is warning the public to go straight to the source after she almost fell victim to an elaborate scam involving a fake Manitoba Hydro agent, saying she doesn’t want others to be fooled by the ruse.

“It was a big production on their part,” said Winnipeg resident Destiny Funk.

“It wasn’t a run-of-the-mill script.”

Armed with her personal information, a legitimate-sounding phone menu and a number of other prompts that make the alleged fraud look legitimate, Funk says the scam — that started with a fake notice of disconnection because of unpaid bills — wasn’t a small-time thing.

“It was a very-jaw-dropping moment once I got (to Manitoba Hydro) and the guy at the counter was like: ‘No. That’s not real,” she said. “I was like; ‘you’re kidding, right?’ Because I had no reason to think that was fake with as much personalized details as they had.”

Speaking with an agent who she thought was with Manitoba Hydro, despite having records of payment, she was told someone would be coming within the hour to shut off her electricity and a payment is needed immediately.

“He goes: ‘In order for this to be cleared up, that payment has to be made. And then once we figure out the missing payments, we’ll credit that back to your account and for this inconvenience we’ll give you a free month of service,’” said Funk.

She says while the freebie should have triggered a red flag, Funk thought maybe there was a mix-up due to a recent move. But when the reported fake Hydro agent tried to force her to pay at a convenience store with a barcode he provided, things didn’t feel right.

“I go: ‘That doesn’t seem very legit’,” said Funk, who posted a video on social media about her experience that was shared widely. She was eventually told she’d have to pay cash at the kiosk, and that’s when her fears of fraud were solidified.

“As soon as he said: ‘cash to a kiosk at a convenience store.’ I was like: ‘yeah, I’m not doing that.’ I was like: ‘this is incredibly sketchy,’” said Funk. She said when she grilled the caller, he got quiet, but then persisted, even trying to convince her not to go to Hydro in person.

Funk says she’s not sure how her information ended up in the hands of the scammer, but said the situation was stressful, especially as temperatures drop, worrying other members of the community like seniors or newcomers to Canada may be particularly vulnerable.

Some of the stores provided by the reported scammer where people can make a payment are already being proactive, with Windsor Park Convenience telling its customers it’s got nothing to do with the scam, and is not involved with Manitoba Hydro.

Representatives with the Crown Corporation say the scams are unfortunate, but nothing new, and stressed immediate threats to shut off power are always fake, as it’s not how Manitoba Hydro operates.

“They’re out there. We know they’re out there and we’re always trying to inform the public how to spot them,” said Peter Chura with Manitoba Hydro, stressing privacy is a priority.

He said at this time, it appears this scam is an isolated incident, but says it’s possible other attempts have not been reported. Chura stressed in this situation, knowledge is power, saying Funk did the right thing by checking in directly with Hydro, which is commending her for making the plot public.

“We’re glad that this got out the way that it did, because nothing kills a scam more than someone blowing the whistle on it like this, so that’s great,” he said.