Staff Report
The Brownsville Public Utilities Board warns customers to stay aware about ongoing scams throughout the summer.
Officials report over 60 scam calls were reported by customers to BPUB in June. Since July 1, the utility company has documented 12 more scam reports, BPUB said in a press release.
According to customers, scammers threaten to disconnect water and electric services if the customer doesn’t submit payment using a pre-paid card or through the mail. In one case, scammers demanded a payment of over $700 claiming bill payments had accumulated in the past three months.
Customers are encouraged to stay cautious whenever speaking to a live operator through an unsolicited phone call. BPUB never uses live operators to seek immediate payment.
Customers can avoid being victimized if they:
>>Never provide or confirm personal information (Social Security number, credit card or bank account information)
>>Verify the identity of anyone claiming to represent BPUB by calling (956) 983-6121
>>Ask for a name or company identification
>>Do not open suspicious texts, pop-up windows, or click on links or attachments in emails, delete them
Unsolicited requests for property access, payments, personal information, and bank routing numbers should be reported to the Brownsville Police Department at (956) 548-7000 or by visiting the nearest community police station.
