Alabama Power has seen an uptick in scams aimed at customers.
The most recent scam is similar to one identified in March, with scammers calling customers and claiming to be a representative from Alabama Power, demanding immediate payment on accounts. The caller requests a customer’s bank or credit card information, warning if payments are not received within 30 minutes service will be disconnected.
A variation of the scheme includes scammers directly contacting customers who recently made a payment on their Alabama Power account and falsely claiming the payment did not process and they need to repay immediately.
“Any contact of this nature is a scam and an attempt to take advantage of our customers during a vulnerable time,” said Alisa Summerville, Alabama Power Customer Service Center director. “If customers are unsure if a call is a scam, we encourage them to hang up and contact Customer Service at 1-800-245-2244.”
These scams are cyclical, with scammers often reusing the same tactics or deploying new ones every few months to prey on residential and commercial customers.
As always, Alabama Power works with each customer to determine the best service option for their account. The schemes that criminals use are not part of the company’s business practices.
Alabama Power is sharing the following tips to help customers protect themselves from false tactics used by scammers:
- We will never call you and demand an immediate payment.
- We will never call you and request bank or credit card information.
- We will never come to your door and demand an immediate payment.
- If you ever have any question about the status of your Alabama Power account, do not hesitate to call us at 1-800-245-2244. The automated voice system is available 24/7 to check account balances and status. You also can reach a Customer Service agent weekdays from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. at 1-800-245-2244.
(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)
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