Fall and winter are prime times for utility scams, and Evergy is reminding residents that things may not be as they seem when they receive calls allegedly from utility companies.
This is Utility Scam Awareness Week, and Evergy says people need to be mindful of several signs of possible scams:
*Scammers may tell you your bill is past due and then threaten to disconnect service, possibly within an hour, if payment is not made
*Scammers may well tell you to buy a prepaid card and then call back to make a payment with the card. Once the customer calls back, the scammer tells the customer to give the card number. This gives the scammer instant access to the card’s funds
Scammers can also make the caller ID to look like the utility company’s phone number.
Evergy tells you to verify the caller’s status with the company by calling 800-383-1183 before giving out any personal or finance-related information. You need to be suspicious if you get a phone call about a past due account but have not received any online or written communication from the company. You’re also told not to provide personal information by email or click on any suspicious links.
