'I panicked.' Woman pays thousands to Austin Energy posers amid extreme heat
Editor's Note: An original version of this report incorrectly wrote how much money Hattie Hodge paid the Austin Energy posers. Hodge paid them nearly $3,500.
AUSTIN (KXAN) – Hattie Hodge said last Thursday she got a worrisome call from her husband who said someone claiming to be with Austin Energy called saying they would shut off their power if they did not pay a sum of money immediately.
“I panicked,” said Hodge, who is an older woman living in East Austin. “I panicked because I get sick when I get hot,” she said.
Hodge said that people claiming to be from Austin Energy said there was a “glitch” in the system and that she’d be reimbursed after she made the payment. They told her to go to CVS near her home to settle the “outstanding balance.”
Hodge is on a fixed income and has an account with an allotted amount for her bills. She paid the Austin Energy posers around $3,500, making it difficult to pay the rest of her utilities.
“I'm sick behind it,” she said. “I'm sick behind it. And with me being an elderly person. You know, I don't have money like that. And I don't want that to happen to anyone else – elderly or not,” she continued.
Austin Energy Fraud
Matt Mitchell, a spokesperson from Austin Energy, said that people posing as Austin Energy and threatening to shut off power is nothing new. Since Saturday, for example, Mitchell said Utilities Customer Contact Center has received over 31 calls from customers reporting a phone call from someone pretending to be from Austin Energy or City of Austin Utilities, demanding immediate payment.
He said that swindlers will increase their efforts during times of extreme weather and during holidays when people are more likely to host events.
“Typically, the person will misrepresent themselves as Austin Energy or City of Austin Utilities, demanding immediate payment of their utility bills or their utilities will be turned off. Customers will sometimes fall for these scams due to the immediacy and the urgency,” Mitchell said.
“They know what they are doing. They know how to prey on emotion. They know how to prey on these high-intensity situations,” he continued.
Mitchell said that Austin Energy would never call residences with a cut-off deadline or ask for credit card details or a wire transfer over the phone. He advised that if you receive one of these calls, hang up and report it.
“Call 311 or 512-974-2000 to report that so that we can keep getting the word out on social media because unfortunately, these scam calls do happen year-round,” Mitchell said.
Austin Energy said it is not able to reimburse people who pay people misrepresenting themselves as Austin Energy.
Six tips from Austin Energy
1. The City of Austin Utilities Customer Contact Center does not call residential customers with cut-off deadlines. (Note: Commercial customers may receive a courtesy call two day prior to scheduled cut off for non-payment.)
2. We will never ask for credit card or wire transfer information over the phone.
3. While some customers do pay in cash, the City will never demand immediate payment in person with cash, gift card or Bitcoin.
4. City of Austin Utilities accepts mail-in or walk-in payments or payments online at www.coautilities.com.
5. If a City of Austin customer receives a phone call threatening to interrupt service, demand immediate payment, or request credit card or bank account information, hang up and dial 3-1-1 or 512-974-2000 and report the incident immediately.
6. Anyone who has received such a call or email and is uncertain of his or her account status can call the City of Austin Utilities Customer Contact Center at 512-494-9400.