Pedernales Electric Cooperative Has Issued A Phone Scam Alert

PEC members have received phone calls from people claiming to be agents who ask for payment and threaten to disconnect service within…

Pedernales Electric Cooperative has issued a phone scam alert, as PEC members have received phone calls from people claiming to be agents who ask for payment and threaten to disconnect service within 15 minutes.

PEC will never threaten immediate disconnection. If you receive a questionable call, contact PEC’s Members Services at 888-554-4732.

Protect yourself from phone scams

Occasionally, PEC members report falling prey to scams by people falsely posing as cooperative employees. Here are some guidelines you can use to protect yourself.

What PEC does

• PEC uses an automated system to make recorded courtesy calls to members regarding their accounts. The calls direct recipients to our secure payment line.

• PEC submits aged delinquent balances on closed accounts to MPB Credit Bureau, which contacts PEC members by phone to collect payment.

• PEC employees work in the field to collect payments at residential and commercial locations, but they will never accept cash. All PEC employees carry photo identification badges, travel in company vehicles and wear PEC uniform shirts.

What we never do

• Call to threaten a service disconnection if payment is not made immediately.

• Ask you to pay with a prepaid card.

• Call from an out-of-state number.

• Instruct you not to call any other PEC number to make payment.

• Have a technician call you to say they are coming out to disconnect power.

• Request a cash payment at your residential or commercial location.

• Place automated calls outside of our normal business hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.

What you can do

• If you are contacted by someone claiming to be a PEC employee, verify the call by contacting us toll-free at 1-888-554-4732, the phone number printed on your bill. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• If you are approached by someone claiming to work for PEC, ask to see identification or call our toll-free number to verify their identity.

• Verify calls from MPB by calling the collection bureau directly at 1-800-550-7902.

• If you receive a suspicious call, hang up immediately and contact your local law enforcement agency or the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division to file a report.