Westar Energy is once again alerting customers that imposters claiming to work for the electric company are calling with threats to disconnect service and demanding prepaid cards as payment.
In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon, Westar said they are receiving reports that imposters are again working in the area and targeting customers.
In December, several customers contacted Westar Energy’s Customer Relations Center after receiving suspicious phone calls. In many of those cases, imposters provided a toll-free phone number that when called sounds like Westar Energy’s automated phone system.
“The caller creates a sense of panic by saying that electric service will be cut off if payment isn’t made within a short time,” Jeff Beasley, Westar’s Vice President of Customer Care, said in a December statement. “They are counting on people taking action before they stop to think.”
Imposters have targeted both residential and business customers. Frequently, the imposters will advise the customer that a payment was not received or was applied to a wrong account and that payment must be made quickly to avoid disconnection.
“Before acting on one of these calls, check your records to see if a recent payment has been made. If you are still unsure, call our Customer Relations Center, 1-800-383-1183, and check your account status,” Beasley said.
If a customer receives a suspicious call, he or she should also report it to the Kansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Office at InYourCornerKansas.org.
Information and tips on identifying Westar employees:
Common reasons Westar Energy is in your neighborhood:
- Monthly meter reading (details below).
- Restoring service during power outage.
- Collection activities before disconnecting service for non-payment.
- Tree trimming (contractors, see schedule)
- Meter upgrade.
Meter Readers
The majority of meters are read monthly to record customer usage. Meter readers operate on a set schedule. To find out when a Westar meter reader will be by to read your meter each month, sign in to my electric account and click on “view meter schedule.” The scheduled read date is generally the same day that your current statement is due.
Collection Activity
- Westar Energy attempts to make contact with customers before service is disconnected.
- When an account is past-due, we mail a disconnect notice along with the current statement. The disconnect notice indicates the date payment needs to be received to avoid interruption of service. From when the disconnect notice is sent, it is approximately 10 business days until we will disconnect service.
- A few days before service is scheduled to be disconnected, we will place a collection call. The number that shows up on caller ID will be 1-800-383-1183. If you are concerned the call is not legitimate, please hang up and dial 1-800-383-1183.
- The service person in the field will knock on the door and attempt to collect before physically disconnecting service. Service persons generally will not enter the home. Payment should be made to Westar Energy. Company employees wear a shirt with the Westar logo, oftentimes have a hard hat, and will not hesitate to show company identification.