Stay Alert To Scams
Scammers increasingly targeting Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company customers
Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company is aware of an uptick in scam activity in its service area. 鈥淭hroughout the COVID-19 pandemic, scammers have been taking advantage of heightened anxieties,鈥� said Customer Care Supervisor Collin Kremeier. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very important our customers know that we鈥檒l never pressure them to make immediate payments over the phone or online, especially through services like MoneyPak, MoneyGram, or pre-paid credit cards.鈥�
Kremeier outlines these red flags to help you recognize suspicious contact from a possible scammer:
- The caller says he or she works for Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company or a collection agency and your electricity is about to be shut off鈥攅ven though you know you鈥檝e paid your bill, haven鈥檛 received a disconnection notice, or the date on the notice doesn鈥檛 match what the caller is stating.
- The caller references a phony bill date, disconnection date, account number, or balance. Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company doesn鈥檛 offer this information over the phone and only will validate what customers provide.
- The email or text message doesn鈥檛 mention Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company yet contains a clickable link that supposedly would allow you to view your bill.
Use these tips to help protect yourself:
- Don鈥檛 call back the number the scammer provided. Scammers can spoof the company鈥檚 phone number, making it appear as though the call is coming from Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company. If you have any questions about your account or want to set up payment arrangements, contact the company directly at 800-257-4044. You can check your account balance using your latest Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company bill or the company鈥檚 website, otpco.com.
- Remember an Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company Customer Service Representative may call to remind you to make a payment鈥攂ut will never ask to process your payment on the call.
- Only share information by phone if you鈥檝e initiated the call.
- Don鈥檛 click on links in or reply to a suspicious email.
- Never share business or personal information by email.
- Contact your financial institution if you shared banking or credit card information.
- Report illegal activity to local law enforcement and to the Federal Trade Commission at 877-FTC-HELP.
鈥淧lease share these tips with your family and friends to help prevent a potential scam,鈥� said Kremeier. 鈥淎nd don鈥檛 hesitate to call us with questions about your account or to set up payment arrangements if needed.鈥�
Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company continues to put the health and safety of its employees and customers first while maintaining reliable electric service in the region. As always, the company is working with its customers to address specific concerns.