TEP Reminds Customers to Protect Themselves from Ongoing Scams

TUCSON, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tucson Electric Power (TEP) reminds customers to protect themselves from

scammers who claim to work for TEP and try to solicit payments using

phone calls, text messages and letters.

TEP is joining utilities across North America this week in a campaign to

prevent long-running scams that target customers of electric, gas and

water utility service providers. Scammers have contacted more than 170

TEP customers over the past year, and more than a dozen were tricked

into sending them money.

Here’s how the scam works: Callers who claim to work for TEP attempt to

steal customers’ money by threatening to disconnect service for unpaid

bills or damaged electric meters. They tell customers to make payment

over the phone with a pre-paid money card within a limited amount of

time to avoid shut off. In some cases, callers instruct customers to

bring a money order or cashier’s check to a local pharmacy. In others,

scammers contact customers via text message or even registered letter.

Some scammers use ID spoofing software that disguises phone calls or

text messages to appear as though they’re coming from TEP. The callers

may pressure customers to make large payments within a short amount of

time by using an angry or urgent tone of voice.

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Customers should simply hang up, delete or ignore such communications.

TEP does not employ the methods used by these scammers to collect

payments.

TEP only contacts customers by phone with automated bill payment

reminders as a courtesy. Also, the company never urges customers to

purchase pre-paid money cards to pay a monthly bill. A complete list of

legitimate payment methods, including payment online and by phone, is

available on TEP’s website at tep.com.

Customers with questions about their bill or concerns about the issues

described above are welcome to call TEP’s Customer Care team at (520)

623-7711.

TEP provides safe, reliable electric service to approximately 417,000

customers in southern Arizona. To learn more, visit tep.com.

TEP and its parent company, UNS Energy, are subsidiaries of Fortis Inc.,

which owns utilities that serve more than 3 million customers across

Canada and in the United States and the Caribbean. To learn more, visit fortisinc.com.

Contacts

Tucson Electric Power

Joseph Barrios, 520-884-3725

jbarrios@tep.com