Arizona utilities educate customers on Utility Scam Awareness Day

PHOENIX — Arizona utilities are partnering Wednesday to help protect customers from scams and schemes.

The state companies are participating in Utility Scam Awareness Day, a campaign held in conjunction with Utilities United Against Scams’ weeklong drive to educate customers on the tactics scammers use to gain their information.

“Customers need to be on high alert as we continue to see impostor utility scams rise across North America,” the group’s executive director Monica Martinez said in a press release.

“Scammers demand money or personal information on the spot—usually with threatening language—and indicate that service will be disconnected immediately,” she said.

Scammers typically use phone or online tactics to target people, but can even show up in person.

Common scams include threatening to shut off service and demanding immediate payment through a prepaid card.

“Anyone and everyone, from senior households to small business owners, are at risk of being targeted,” Martinez said.

Scammers plan to catch you off guard during busiest times of the year, like right around the holidays! SRP will never call you to threaten an immediate power shutoff. If you receive a suspicious call, just hang up and call us directly at (602) 236-8888 #StopScams https://t.co/iXVLRVDUWe

— Salt River Project (@SRPconnect) November 16, 2020

If a customer suspects fraudulent activity or is unsure of the legitimacy of a call or email they’ve received, they should directly contact the utility company to check on the status of their account.

People are advised to never share personal or credit card information with an unverified source, and to call 911 if they ever feel they are in physical danger.

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