If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be with Pedernales Electric Cooperative who’s demanding you pay a bill immediately or face disconnection of electric services, co-op officials say to hang up.
According to PEC, representatives never threaten to disconnect service if payment is not made immediately.
PEC officials said members of the cooperative have reported getting such calls. They advise that if you get a call from someone demanding payment with a prepaid credit card or similar method, not to do it. Instead, hang up and call PEC at (888) 554-4732 to report it.
Be especially wary if the person tells you not to call another PEC number.
“PEC will never call to threaten service disconnection if payment is not made immediately and will never ask members to pay with a prepaid card,” according to a cooperative statement.
Other things PEC will not do include:
• call from an out-of-state number;
• have a technician call you to say they are coming out to disconnect power;
• request a cash payment at your home or business;
• threaten a service disconnection on holidays or weekends;
• or try to sell you products or services by phone or door to door, including solar panels, energy audits, “important energy-saving initiatives,” and more.
If you receive a suspicious call, take note of the scam details then hang up and contact the local police. You can also file a report with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/file-consumer-complaint.
And be sure to contact PEC to alert cooperative officials about the possible scam call.
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If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be with Pedernales Electric Cooperative who’s demanding you pay a bill immediately or face disconnection of electric services, co-op officials say to hang up.