KCP&L is warning its customers of a dramatic increase in reported scammers posing as KCP&L employees over the phone.
According to a news release, KCP&L scam report tracking shows that 326 attempted utility collection call scams were reported in the first quarter of 2018 compared to 185 in 2017, a 76-percent increase.
Steven Glenn, KCP&L’s manager of revenue protection, says awareness is key. He says anytime a call is received, specifically requesting payment by means of a prepaid card, consumers should beware of a scam and take precautions.
The caller is often a live person posing as a KCP&L employee who notifies the customer of a past-due bill and demands immediate payment to avoid service disconnection. Scammers often will manipulate the caller ID to look like a legitimate KCP&L phone number. Most frequently, the caller requests the customer purchase a Green Dot MoneyPak card to pay their bill.
If customers ever have questions about the legitimacy of a bill, phone call or email regarding their utility bill, they are advised to refrain from providing any personal or banking information, hang up and contact the KCP&L Customer Contact Center at (888) 471-5275 or (816) 471-5275.
If you feel you have been a victim of this scam, contact your nearest law-enforcement agency.