Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company (OG&E) reminds customers to beware of scams targeting residents in their service area. Customers have notified OG&E of payment fraud and the electric company wants customers to remain safe and aware.

“OG&E offers our customers safe and convenient ways to pay their bills. Unfortunately, criminals seek to take advantage of our customers, which is why we remind our customers to always be on guard,” said Christi Woodworth, vice president of marketing and communications at OG&E. “Following the tips at OGE.com/scams can help our customers stay safe online and avoid the frustration and financial impact of payment fraud.”

Some OG&E customers in Oklahoma and Arkansas have experienced these scams:

• Website Payment Scams: Fraudsters manipulate search results on popular search engines and use fraudulent 800 numbers to impersonate authorized payment processors in order to deceive customers into believing that they are contacting OG&E to pay their bill. Do not use a search engine to pay. Always go directly to OGE.com/PaymentOptions to pay your bill online.

• Telephone scam with instant payment: Scammers target customers over the phone, fraudulently claiming to represent OG&E and threatening to cut off power if immediate payment is not made.
• What customers should know:

• We do not call customers and ask them over the phone for their full banking information or credit card numbers.
• We do not require customers to pay any bill with a prepaid debit card.
• We will not call customers directly, even if their balance is overdue, and ask them to pay.
• We do not call customers to ask for payment over the phone.
• We do not ask customers to meet in person to make a payment.
• We do not come to a customer’s home or business to collect payment in cash.
• We will not call and threaten immediate suspension without prior notice.
• We do not come to a customer’s home or business and demand payment or the sale of products such as solar panels.

Customers can report fraud to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov/assistant or contact the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office at [email protected].

Source: press release