(CORPUS CHRISTI, TX -November. 16, 2019) AEP Texas is joining Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS) to recognize the fifth annual Utility Scam Awareness Day on Wednesday, November 18. Utility Scam Awareness Day is part of the weeklong International Scam Awareness Week, an advocacy and awareness campaign focused on educating customers and exposing the tactics used by scammers.

UUAS, a consortium of more than 145 U.S. and Canadian electric, water, and natural gas utilities and their respective trade associations, continues to create awareness of common scams and new scam tactics being used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through its work and with the help of customer reporting, UUAS has succeeded in taking nearly 9,500 toll-free numbers used by scammers against utility customers out of operation.

Over the past year, AEP Texas and local law enforcement have received reports in some AEP Texas service company areas that scammers are contacting residents threatening to disconnect their electric service unless an immediate payment is made.  In addition, there have been reports of individuals contacting customers or going door-to-door, indicating the need to change the meter and asking for payment to cover the cost of the upgrade.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, scammers throughout the country have increased calls, texts, emails, and in-person tactics and are contacting utility customers asking for immediate payment to avoid service disconnection.  These attempts are expected to increase throughout the holiday season. 

While AEP Texas cannot speak for the Retail Electric Providers (REPs), AEP Texas employees will never proactively contact a customer demanding an immediate payment, insist a payment be made with a prepaid debit or credit card or ask a customer to meet in a parking lot to make a payment. Also, AEP Texas employees do not offer special prices for electricity.  Anyone claiming to be an AEP Texas representative who makes this type of offer should not be allowed access. 

Thieves are calling consumers within the AEP Texas service territory and:

• Threatening to shut off power unless an immediate payment is made; (Note: As an energy delivery company, AEP Texas does not bill the end-use customer. AEP Texas disconnects customers for non-payment as instructed by the Retail Electric Provider.)

• Telling customers they need a new electric meter, but must make a payment before the new meter is installed;

• Demanding a deposit is paid immediately;

• Offering a discount on their utility bill if they sign up for auto-pay (Note: Again, as a distribution and transmission, or “Wires” company, AEP Texas does not bill the end-use customer.)

More Red flags for scam activity:

• The thief instructs the customer to purchase a pre-paid debit or credit card – widely available at retail stores – then call him or her back to supposedly make a payment to AEP Texas.

• The scammer asks the customer for the prepaid card’s receipt number and PIN number, which grants instant access to the card’s funds.

• The scammers are calling from numbers that names AEP Texas on the Caller ID. And they have a telephone recording that sounds like an AEP Texas phone system message.

How to protect yourself:

• Call your Retail Electric Provider to verify your account balance and date your payment is due. The correct phone number is shown on your monthly electricity bill.

• The Retail Electric Provider--not AEP Texas--will notify customers by mail that their account is past due and their electric service will be disconnected – never a single notification one hour before disconnection.

• If you suspect someone is trying to scam you, hang up and call the local police and then AEP Texas. Never dial the phone number the scammers provide.

Customers, who suspect or experience fraud, or feel threatened during contact with one of these thieves, should contact local authorities, and then AEP Texas at 1- 877-373-4858.

AEP Texas continues to educate customers about scams through messages on their electric bills, on AEPTexas.com through social media and public service announcements.  AEP Texas works with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute scammers.

For more information visit https://aeptexas.com/StopScams or follow AEP Texas on Twitter, and Facebook to learn more.

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AEP Texas, headquartered in Corpus Christi, is delivers electricity to more than one million electric customers in the deregulated Texas marketplace. As an energy delivery company, AEP Texas delivers electricity safely and reliably to homes, businesses and industries across its nearly 100,000-square-mile service territory in south and west Texas. AEP Texas also maintains and repairs its lines, collects data from advanced meters, and handles service connections and disconnections as directed by the Retail Electric Providers (REPs) selling electricity in the area.