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Residents warn of phone scams; city staff and volunteers offer resources
Summary
Multiple residents told the council that callers impersonating Pen Air, Navy Federal and local utilities are trying to steal account access; staff said the city posted warnings and offered a fraud‑reporting number; a local cybersecurity volunteer offered to run educational sessions.
Several Milton residents used the council’s public comment period on April 14 to warn neighbors about an active phone‑scam that impersonates financial and government institutions.
One resident said calls appear using a Pen Air phone number and urged the public to treat such calls as fraudulent because "a bank will never call you." City staff confirmed the city recently posted warnings on Facebook and other channels about callers claiming to be from the city requesting immediate payment over the phone. Staff advised that legitimate billing notices appear on mailed bills and that the city will not demand immediate payment by phone.
A resident provided a fraud‑reporting number (888‑382‑1222) that she said registers numbers used by offshore callers. A number of residents recommended use of call‑blocking or spam‑filter services; one speaker named a commercial service, Cloaked, and said it stopped spam calls for about $10 a month. A local cybersecurity professional present, Kelly Miller, offered to organize educational workshops on scams and defenses for Milton residents.
Why it matters: Scams that impersonate banks, utilities or government agencies can take users’ account access and money; localized warnings and community education can reduce harm and accelerate reporting to authorities.
What’s next: City staff and residents encouraged vigilance, recommended hanging up and calling a known number for the bank or utility, and offered community workshops and technical blocking tools to reduce exposure.
