SRP warns customers of targeted utility scam calls ahead of Memorial Day weekend Olivia Munson, Arizona Republic
Salt River Project, Arizona s second-largest electric company, is warning its customers of utility scam calls in which scammers are threatening to shut off power unless payments are made. This is an ongoing struggle that we have, said Carisa Woolstenhulme, manager of customer credit services for SRP. Typically, the activity ramps up around the holidays where people think SRP is closed, and so, this isn t unexpected this time of year ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, especially as the weather gets hotter, and people are relying more and more on their air conditioners.
Louisville Gas and Electric Company, Kentucky Utilities Company and Old Dominion Power Company joined more than 145 fellow U.S. and Canadian utilities on November 18 for the fifth annual Utility Scam Awareness Day to raise consumer awareness on how to recognize scams and offer advice to avoid them. These efforts have become more important this year during the pandemic, as reports of scams have risen as a result.
This annual international initiative is led by Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS), a consortium of electric, water, and natural gas utilities and their respective trade associations. Through its work and with the help of customer reporting, UUAS has successfully taken out of operation nearly 9,500 toll-free numbers used by scammers against utility customers.