(KANSAS CITY, Kan.) — The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (BPU) wants customers to be aware of recent telephone scams offering customers assistance paying their utility bills.

In one instance, the caller offered to enroll the customer in a fraudulent utility assistance program. In another instance, the caller offered a gift card and a reduction in their utility bills if the customer made a small initial payment to the caller.

BPU urges customers to never give credit card, debit card, Social Security, or banking information to anyone who comes to your door, calls, texts, and/or sends an email inquiring about your utility bill. Be sure to verify the request by asking to see company identification or calling the BPU Customer Service Department directly at 913-573-9190.

A little knowledge can go a long way in preventing scammers from taking advantage of you. BPU has developed an educational video and facts to help empower customers to spot, avoid and report fraud. For more information, visit BPU.com.

BPU’s water department was originally created in 1909, and its electric utility was operational in 1912. The purpose of the utility, then and to this day, is to provide the highest quality electric and water services at the lowest possible cost. Today the publicly owned utility serves approximately 67,000 electric and 53,000 water customers, primarily in Wyandotte County, Kansas. The mission of the utility and its employees is “to focus on the needs of our customers, to improve the quality of life in our community while promoting safe, reliable and sustainable utilities.” BPU’s Web site is www.bpu.com.