Kansas City, Kan. customers should hang up the phone after getting this call

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - A Kansas City-area utility is warning customers of a new scam.

The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities says scammers are calling customers claiming utility bills are past due. BPU says the scammer warns utilities will be shut off if the customer does not pay immediately.

BPU says the scammer is using ID spoofing to make it look like the phone call is coming from the utility’s number at 913-573-9522. The scammer will then provide instructions for the customer to make a payment over the phone.

BPU says customers need to hang up the phone after receiving this phone call.

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The utility says it will never ask a customer to make an immediate payment over the phone, or threaten immediate disconnection for a nonpayment.

Anyone who gets a phone call like this one should call the BPU Customer Service Department.

BPU says the following tips are good for all consumers to follow to avoid becoming a scam victim:

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.