Cable / Internet 'Outage Credit — Verify Card' Scam
A caller offers a big discount, outage credit, or loyalty deal on your cable/internet, then asks you to prepay with gift cards or 'verify' your card.
Think a message like this reached you? You can check it right now.
What this scam is
Someone claiming to be your cable/internet provider offers to slash your bill, give an 'outage credit,' or provide a loyalty discount if you act now — often requiring you to prepay several months with gift cards to 'lock in' the rate, or to 'verify' your account by reading your card number. The discount is fake; the gift cards or card details go to the scammer. Real providers apply credits to your account and don't require gift-card prepayment.
What it usually looks like
- An unsolicited offer of a big bill discount or outage credit.
- A requirement to prepay via gift cards to 'lock in.'
- A request to 'verify' your card number.
- Pressure to accept the deal now.
Common warning signs
- Gift-card prepayment to get a discount.
- Reading your card to 'verify' for a credit.
- Unsolicited loyalty/outage offers.
- A callback number not on your bill.
Example wording scammers use
“Cut your cable bill 50% — just prepay 6 months in gift cards to lock in the promo.”
“We're issuing an outage credit; verify your card to apply it.”
These are illustrative examples written by ScamSplain, not real messages.
What the scammers want
- Gift-card prepayment or your card details.
- To exploit desire to save on bills.
- Your account access.
What to do
- Call your provider using the number on your bill to check any offer.
- Never prepay with gift cards for a discount.
- Don't read your card to 'verify' a credit.
- Report the call.
What to do if you already responded
- Contact your card/gift-card issuer.
- Verify your account with the real provider.
- Report at reportfraud.ftc.gov.