If you receive a phone call from an electric company demanding money, or your electricity will be shut off, you may want to hold on to your pocketbook.
Scammers are targeting electric customers.
This was the case in Aransas Pass.
The owner of an RV park says she noticed a utility truck drive through the park and minutes later received a suspicious phone call.
Someone claiming to be an electric company demanded money for an overdue electric bill.
They wanted her bank information, a credit or debit card. When she refused, they hung up.
After checking with her electric provider, she realized it was a scam and filled a report with Aransas Pass PD.
AEP representatives say these scams are a growing trend not just in Texas, but the country.
The best weapon is information because scammers are going to great lengths to trick people.
They’ve been known to change their caller ID to AEP and other times, even play a telephone recording similar to the companies messaging system.
What people need to know, is that AEP will never ask you for money.
“It’s very common for us to go do service work, that’s typical, we do that every day. But never will we be collecting money on either on the phone or in person on behalf of anyone else,” says communications director Frank Espinoza.
The Aransas Pass PD advises people to stay up to date on their bills and to never provide personal information to an unfamiliar number.
For more information on what to look out for visit the AEP website.
