AUGUSTA (AP) — Central Maine Power is warning customers of a “surge” of telephone scam attempts.

The utility said scammers are calling business and residential customers and saying they either missed a payment or that their payment wasn’t processed properly.

Company officials they’ve received hundreds of scam reports that callers are instructing customers to buy a prepaid debit card and dial a second number with their card information.

Company officials say some of the callers are using a caller ID system to make the calls appear as if they’re coming from the utility.

They say CMP will not call customers in good standing and do not ask them to purchase prepaid debit cards to make payments.