Rocky Mountain Power customers may get fraudulent calls

SALT LAKE CITY — Rocky Mountain Power has received customer reports alleging fraudulent telephone calls from parties claiming to be representatives of the electricity utility.

The utility has been in communication with law enforcement agencies to alert them to the attempted fraud and is urging its customers to be wary.

In the reported cases, a caller has asked customers to provide a credit card number to pay down their bill to prevent service termination. The ruse often includes a statement that the customer's check did not have a signature. This is not an accepted practice, according to the company, and customers should not disclose information that might compromise their financial security.

"These calls are in no way associated with our company, and we want to make sure our customers are aware that anything that seems unusual is just that — unusual," said Karen Gilmore, vice president of customer services for the utility.

Anyone receiving such calls about their utility bill is encouraged to write down information, such as the number that appears on a caller identification system or the address where they're supposed to send money. The customers should then report the incident to local police.

In questionable situations, customers can call the company at 888-221-7070 to confirm a caller's identity and role with the company. If Rocky Mountain Power contacts a customer, the representative will always have the customer's account number.

— Rebecca Palmer