I consider myself pretty skeptical and unlikely to fall for a scam, but I got absolutely taken for a ride today.

I received an urgent call from one of the managers that works for me that the power company has been calling threatening to shut off the power that day due to non-payment. This was a little surprising, but believable since I have forgotten to put utility bills on autopay once or twice in the past.

Manager texts me the number to call them back at and I don't think twice about dialing it. This was my first mistake, I should have gone to their website first, but assumed it was accurate because it came from a trusted source.

I immediately get hit by an IVR prompt that sounds legit, go through a couple menus to get the billing person. He asks for the account phone number and account info. I don't have it, but give him an address. He says he can't find any matches, and then I eventually find the right phone number and we get to my "account."

He says we're overdue by ~$600, they've sent two notices, but if we can pay at least $400 today, they won't cut it off. I've got my card out, ready to pay, and then boom

Scammer: Okay, so we have a new app you can pay through so your payment details will remain secure. Do you have an iPhone or Android?
Me: Yeah, I've got an iPhone
Scammer: Please put me on speaker phone and then go to the app store
Me: [goes to the app store]
Scammer: and then I want you to type in Cash App, that's how we accept payment now.
Me: [hangs-up]

It's really scary though. I'd have handed over my bank details or credit card in a heartbeat and then he did something as stupid as ask me to pay through a money app.