BPU Warns Customers to Beware of Imposter Scams

(KANSAS CITY, Kan.) The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (BPU) wants customers to be aware of a new utility scam telling residents their utilities will be shut off immediately.

According to BPU representatives, multiple reports have been made about calls stating if payment is not made services will be shut off within 30 minutes. The caller claims to represent a local utility, and uses caller ID spoofing to convince victims the call is from a real customer service number.

BPU never asks for payment over the phone or threatens to disconnect utilities due to non-payment. Customers that suspect they are being targeted by a scam need to hang up right away and call the BPU Customer Service Department at 913-573-9190.

BPU offers these tips for customers to protect themselves if they are unsure about a call, email, or visit from a utility representative:

Never give credit or debit card, Social Security, ATM, checking or savings account numbers to anyone who comes to your door, calls, texts, and/or sends an email asking for information regarding your utility bill. Verify the request is authentic by either asking to see company identification or calling the BPU Customer Service Department.

Be suspicious if you receive an email regarding your utility bill if you have not requested online communications from BPU.

Never provide personal information via email or click any suspicious links or attachments.

BPU said electric customers have been targeted by scammers using a variety of such scam attempts for a number of years in several states besides Kansas, including Nebraska; Alabama; Arkansas; Connecticut; the District of Columbia; Florida; Louisiana; Maryland; Massachusetts; Mississippi; Missouri; New Jersey; New York; Oklahoma; Texas; Wisconsin; and New Mexico.

About BPU

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 63,000 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.