Omaha Couple Narrowly Avoids $5,400 Cable Refund Scam

Phony Cox Communications representatives tried to trick the seniors into wiring money for a bogus refund overpayment.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 4:40am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a crumpled, torn piece of paper with handwritten numbers, conceptually representing the financial details of the cable refund scam.A discarded financial document exposes the deceptive tactics used in a recent cable refund scam that targeted an Omaha couple.Omaha Today

An Omaha senior couple was nearly scammed out of $5,400 by phony Cox Communications customer service representatives who claimed the couple was owed a refund and needed to install an app to receive the money. The scammers tried to convince the couple to wire the difference after a 'planned mistake' resulted in a $6,000 refund instead of $600. The couple avoided losing any money by deleting the access the scammers had to their bank information and contacting the real Cox Communications.

Why it matters

This scam highlights the growing threat of impersonation fraud, where criminals misuse the names of trusted companies to trick victims into giving up sensitive financial information or making payments. As more transactions move online, seniors and other vulnerable populations are at increased risk of falling for these types of convincing but fraudulent schemes.

The details

The scammers first called the 85-year-old victim, Mark Ware, and claimed he was owed a $600 refund from Cox Communications. They convinced him to install an app that gave them access to his checking account. The scammers then claimed they had mistakenly issued a $6,000 refund and demanded Ware wire them the $5,400 difference. When Ware questioned the legitimacy of the request, the scammers insisted it was a genuine mistake on their part. Cox Communications later confirmed the callers were not their employees and that the company does not request customers to wire money for refunds.

  • The initial scam call took place in early April 2026.
  • The scammers called Ware a second time, still demanding the $5,400 wire transfer.

The players

Mark Ware

An 85-year-old Omaha resident who was the target of the scam.

Connie Johnk

Ware's wife, who warned others to be cautious about financial requests from unknown callers.

Cox Communications

The legitimate cable and internet provider whose name was misused by the scammers.

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What they’re saying

“When it comes to finances, your personal accounts, you need to be questioning and maybe fall back on family members and follow up that way rather than just move ahead.”

— Connie Johnk, Ware's wife

“It sure sounds like a scam.”

— Mike McKnight

“Not at all sure, we're serving a lot of customers like you.”

— Alleged scammer

What’s next

The Omaha Police Department is investigating the incident, and Cox Communications is urging customers to contact their support team directly if they have any questions about their accounts.

The takeaway

This scam serves as a stark reminder for seniors and all consumers to be extremely cautious when receiving unsolicited calls or messages claiming to be from a trusted company. Verifying the legitimacy of any financial requests through official channels is crucial to avoid falling victim to increasingly sophisticated impersonation fraud schemes.