TAYLORSVILLE, N.C. (WHKY) — The Alexander County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a scam in which callers pretend to represent Spectrum in an effort to gain access to customers’ accounts and order expensive phones.

The sheriff’s office says the scam has been reported multiple times over the past several days. Investigators say callers claim they can lower a customer’s monthly bill by ordering new phones. During the conversation, scammers ask for account access or convince victims to make changes to their Spectrum accounts.

Once they gain access, investigators say the scammers order phones on the victim’s account, even if the customer never agreed to receive them. Those phones are charged to the victim’s Spectrum account.

When the devices arrive, victims are instructed to email what they believe is a Spectrum representative to refuse the shipment. The scammers then provide a return address that appears legitimate, but authorities say the phones are actually shipped to an address in New York instead of back to Spectrum.

Authorities urge customers never to provide account information or passwords to anyone who calls unexpectedly. If you receive a call claiming to be from Spectrum, hang up and contact the company directly using the phone number on your bill or the company’s official website.

Anyone who believes they may have been targeted is encouraged to contact the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office.