PowerStream Alerting Customers to Phone Scam

DigitalJournal.com
July 4, 2014

PowerStream has been following closely a telephone scam originally reported in the United States that has now made its way over the border. Reports of utility customers being scammed have surfaced in other parts of Ontario including Thunder Bay and Toronto.

According to the reports, customers are receiving phone calls from people claiming to be from the 'termination department' of their local electric utility. The calls are being made from a 1-800 phone number and victims are being threatened with having their electrical service disconnected if they do not immediately provide payment in the form of a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer.

PowerStream never asks for a pre-paid credit card payment or wire transfer in overdue account situations nor does its Customer Service department call from an outbound 1-800 number. The company's standard procedure is to provide multiple notices prior to disconnection including an automated reminder call; as well PowerStream always hand delivers a Final Notice to the service address prior to any disconnection occurring.

In the event customers receive a suspicious call:

Do not provide any personal information including PowerStream or credit card account numbers
Collect any information possible about the caller
Contact PowerStream's Customer Service department at 877-963-6900 during regular business hours, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. to report the incident
ABOUT POWERSTREAM

PowerStream is a community-owned energy company that provides power and related services to more than 365,000 customers residing or owning a business in communities located immediately north of Toronto and in Central Ontario. It is jointly owned by the Cities of Barrie, Markham and Vaughan.

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PowerStream
John Olthuis
Manager, Customer Communications & Marketing
Media Line (24/7): 905-532-4400
News@PowerStream.ca
www.PowerStream.ca