TULSA, Okla. (March 10, 2022) – As part of National Consumer Protection Week, Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) urged customers to protect themselves against utility scams.

In 2021, PSO received 354 calls from consumers reporting scams or attempted scams.

“PSO saw substantially fewer scam reports from 2020 levels, which is a positive trend and shows that PSO Customers are becoming more generally aware of utility scams,” said PSO Director of Consumer Services and Marketing Scott Ritz. “Consumer awareness is a key to further progress.”

The Federal Trade Commission’s National Consumer Protection Week, March 6-12, is designed to help people understand their consumer rights and avoid frauds and scams. PSO is a member of Utilities United Against Scams, a partner in the FTC effort.

PSO urges customers to be alert to four common signs of scams:

• A caller claiming to be with PSO demanding an immediate bill payment;
• Insisting on a specific form of payment, such as a pre-paid debit card;
• Asking for personal or account information;
• Providing an unfamiliar 800 or 888 number.

Scam artists are clever and persistent. They use lies to get at your money or personal information and can come by phone, email, or at the front door.

The FTC urges anyone suspicious that they are talking to a utility scam artist to hang up and call their utility. Any PSO customers can call PSO to verify the status of their account and report scams. The number to call is 888-216-3523. 

For more information, go to the PSO website: www.psoklahoma.com/account/bills/scams/.

About PSO

PSO, a unit of American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP), is an electric utility company serving more than 562,000 customer accounts in eastern and southwestern Oklahoma. Based in Tulsa, PSO has approximately 3,800 megawatts of generating capacity fueled primarily by natural gas, 22-thousand miles of distribution lines and 37-hundred miles of transmission lines.  PSO also is one of the largest distributors of wind energy in the state. News releases and other information is at www.PSOklahoma.com.  Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, NextDoor and Instagram @PSOklahoma.

Media Contact:                                                          

Wayne Greene

PSO Corporate Communications                                          

(918) 521-1474

lwgreene@aep.com