PROVO, Utah — The city of Provo is warning residents about a recent round of utility phone scams. Provo Power Director Scott Bunker is cautioning customers to be vigilant when it comes to the tactics used to defraud them. "Scammers are posing as Provo Power representatives and then demanding payment while threatening disconnection,” said Bunker.
One recent incident, according to the utility, involved the fraudster demanding payment quickly with the threat of imminent disconnection. The individual also provided general account information as a means of establishing credibility. Provo Power is strongly warning its customers that this is a scam. "They are actively trying and unfortunately succeeding in some cases," stated Bunker. "We want to keep our customers safe.”
Provo Power, Provo 311 Customer Service and Provo Police have all reported seeing an increase in scams coming through calls, texts, emails, fake websites, and even door-to-door tactics.
Provo Power says that customers should keep these safety tips in mind following the scam attempts.
- Be suspicious if you receive an email, text or phone call regarding your utility bill if you have not requested communications from Provo City
- Verify the person you are engaging with is a Provo City employee. Provo City will never contact customers in-person or by phone to collect payments
- For customers using Provo City's online bill pay system, always make payments through myusage.provo.org instead of using search engines
- Never provide personal information via email or click any suspicious links. Even if the caller ID says a phone call is from Provo City, it could be a scammer. If something seems suspicious, hang up and check the account online or call Customer Service at 801-852-6000
