OPPD, Governor warn against utility scams

Omaha Public Power District and Governor Ricketts warn against utility scams during coronavirus pandemic

YOU HEAR ABOUTTHEM ALL TIME.:02:10:25-:02:15:09 "WEREALLY WANTCUSTOMERS TO BEARMED WITHINFORMATION SOTHEY DON'T FALL FORTHESE SCAMS."OMAHA'S PUBLICPOWER DISTRICTSAYS CUSTOMERSHAVE REPORTED ANINCREASED AMOUNTOF SCAM CALLS DUEDURING THEPANDEMIC.:05:58:20-:06:03:26"RIGHT NOW IT'S SOIMPORTANT TO HAVETHAT ELECTRICITYAND SO THAT'S WHATTHEY'RE CAPITALIZINGON."O-P-P-DSPOKESPERSON JODIBAKER SAYS,SCAMMERS ARETRYING TO TRICKPEOPLE INTOTHINKING THIERPOWER WILL BE SHUTOFF...IF THEY DON'T PAYUP...:01:02:23-:01:18:04"THEY'LL CALLCUSTOMERS--SOMETIMES THEY'LLEVEN SPOOFNUMBERS--TO APPEARLEGITAMATE LIKETHEY'LL ACTUALLYTHE UTILITY CALLINGTHESE CUSTOMERS,SO DON'T RELY ONYOUR CALLER ID ...WHAT THEY'LL DO ISTHEY'LL CALL, THEY'LLBE AGGRESSIVE IFCUSTOMERS DON'TPAY A BILL THAT THEYCLAIM IS OVERDUE."BAKER SAYSSCAMMERS HAVEALSO CLAIMED ACUSTOMER'S METERNEEDED TO BEREPLACED ...WHICH IS SOMETHINGO-P-P-D SAYS THEY'DNEVER CHARGE FOR.GOVERNOR RICKETTSALSO WEIGHED.:20:15-:26:17 "IFSOMEBODY ISCALLING YOU ANDSAYING YOU NEED TOPAY YOUR UTILITY BILLOR YOU'RE GOING TOBE CUT OFF THAT'SGOING TO BE A SCAM-- PLEASE DON'TRESPOND BACK TO IT."SO FAR ...O-P-P-D CUSTOMERSHAVE REPORTED 155SCAM CALLS ...33 OF THE REPORTSCAME AS RECENT ASMONDAY.IF YOUR UTILITY BILLIS LATE ...BAKER SAYS DON'TWORRY ...BECAUSEDISCONNECTIONS AREON PAUSE DURINGTHE PANDEMIC.:01:32:20-:01:45:13 "WEWANT OURCUSTOMERS TO HAVEPOWER WHEN THEYNEED ITMOST--PEOPLE AREWORKING FROMHOME--TAKING CAREOF THEIR KIDS, KIDSARE E-LEARNING ANDWE KNOW THIS IS AREALLY TOUGH TIME."THE COMPANY'SMORITORIUM HASBEEN EXTENED ...SO UTILITIES WON'TBE DISCONNECTEDUNTIL 30 DAYS AFTERTHE STATE'S FINALDIRECTED HEALTHMEASURE ENDS.IN OMAHA SYDNEYGRAY 3 NEWS NOW.O-P-P-D ALSO SAYS, ITWILL WORK WITHCUSTOMERS WHO AREBEHIND ON THEIR BILL....WHETHER IT'SHELPING THEM STARTA PAYMENT PLAN ...OR CONNECTINGTHEM WITHCOMMUNITYRESOURCES.