TULSA, Nov. 18, 2021 – To mark International Fraud Awareness Week, Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) is urging its customers to be aware of common tactics used by fast-talking con artists pretending to be utility workers.

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Utilities United Against Scams, a consortium of nearly 150 U.S. and Canadians electric, water and natural gas utilities and their respective trade association, is focusing on the theme, “End the Call. End the Scam” this year.

A customer approached by a scammer by telephone should hang up, and then call PSO’s customer services line, 888-216-3523. Scammers are extremely sophisticated in their tactics. By simply ending the call, the customer can end their scam.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, utilities have seen an increase in reported scams falsely seeking payments and personal and financial information and using threatened service interruptions as leverage.

PSO will never ask for payments using a pre-paid debit card, gift card, cryptocurrencies or third-party digital payment mobile applications, and it will provide multiple notices before service interruptions.

Customers who are unsure about a caller claiming to be from PSO, can hang up and call customer service. Customers who suspect that they have been victims of fraud or who feel threatened during contact with a scammer claiming to be from PSO should contact customer service or police.

For more information on how to protect against utility scams, visit www.utilitiesunited.org.