Alaska Electric Light and Power Company is warning its customers to be wary of the “unsigned check” scam.
Two separate customers reported attempted fraud to AEL&P Friday morning, said AEL&P Spokeswoman Debbie Ferreira.
A man called them pretending to be an AEL&P employee and told them they forgot to sign their checks. He then said that their power was going to be turned off unless they gave him their credit or debit card numbers over the phone for electronic payment.
Ferreira said the first customer reported the call came at 8:30 a.m. today. A second customer with the same story then reported it at 9 a.m.
The customers reported the man was talking on speaker phone and his voice was hard to hear.
Both customers became suspicious, ended the phone call then reported it to AEL&P, Ferreira said.
Ferreira added customers should know AEL&P would never make that phone call. She said if there truly was an unsigned check, AEL&P would ask the customers to come to their office to sign it.
Ferreira said the company reported the incidents to police.
The IT department at AEL&P began researching the incident, Ferreira said, and discovered this “unsigned check scam” has been reported in the Lower 48.
Ferreira said as far as she knows, this is the first time it’s been reported in Juneau.
Anyone who is a potential victim of the scam can call AEL&P at 780-222.
• Contact reporter Emily Russo Miller or at 523-2263 at emily.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (19)
Add commentObviously a scam, as AEL&P
Obviously a scam, as AEL&P won't take a credit card because it costs THEM money.
@kpawsuh
Well said.
Exactly
That's exactly what I thought too...AEL&P doesn't do credit cards because it cuts into their profits...
If they pretended to be ACS instead...
the scam might have worked.
Umm ... AELP has taken credit
Umm ... AELP has taken credit cards and debit cards since at least as long as I have been their customer ... so ... since ... 2001.
I logged in again after reading this article and .. lo and behold ... they still take credit cards and debit cards ..
What are you guys talking about?
Plus, AEL&P would never scam
Plus, AEL&P would never scam us!
I stand corrected
Believe it or not there was a time when they didn't accept credit cards, prior to you being their customer, and were pretty adamant about not accepting credit cards. Apparently they have changed their ways. However, I am of the belief, that this a payment method they are not making well known to customers.
Scammers come and go. We just have to remain vigilant.
Wow! These scammers do have a lot of ways to steal somebody else's hard-earned money. I haven't had a call like that but I'm glad I came by this article because I learned something. I've reported a few phone calls at http://www.callercenter.com before and should I receive a call like that, I'd surely recognize the scam right away. I'll be reporting yet another phone number on the complaint site.
More info on aelp.com web
More info on aelp.com web site Aelp will NOT take credit cards or debit cards, at least not over the phone. You have to go to the aelp web site.
I wouldn't use one over the
I wouldn't use one over the phone anyway.
credit cards
They do not take them directly in the store (cash/check only), however they will on the website. BUT, if you do that they charge you a fee to use it, I was charged an extra 5.00 for enrolling in it. If you use THEIR atm machine in the office, it charges you an extra fee higher then the banks atm fees. Either way they are getting extra fees from you.
I'm glad those two customers reported the scam
to AEL&P and that AEL&P informed the JE so they could tell people what happened. However, not everyone who uses AEL&P reads the JE, so hope they will include a notice in their billings. I would hope that most people are more aware and alert to scams and if not, they better start paying more attention because these types of scams will only stop once people stop falling for them.
You do have the option to pay using a debit and/or credit card and pay a fee for that and if you agree to do that, you have only yourself to be angry at, not AEL&P. I pay my bill on-line but use the EZ check pay. There is no fee for this.
Unfortunately, EZ check pay
Unfortunately, EZ check pay is not available to all customers, such as myself. So I either have to pay via drive through, or eat the $5 fee to pay via debit/credit card online.
I am not complaining. However, I prefer paying all my bills online when I get up in the morning. AELP is the only place in town that prevents this.
who's the scammer?
I consider AEL&P the scammer since they have a utility monopoly in JNU and don't accept credit card bill pay without fees. AEL&P charges a $4.95 "convenience fee" for each credit card transaction. http://www.aelp.com/payments/payment.htm
If even 20% of their customers called, emailed and wrote requesting free online or telephone bill pay with a credit card, it'd rattle their cage and likely effect change.
Do it NOW!! Here's who to contact:
1. Customer Service 780-2222 service@aelp.com
2. Tim McLeod, president-general mgr: tim.mcleod@aelp.com
3. Debbie Ferreira,director of consumer affairs: debbie.f@aelp.com
Sync,
you stated that "I am not complaining. However, I prefer paying all my bills online when I get up in the morning. AELP is the only place in town that prevents this."
Are you able to pay CBJ on-line? I haven't been able to do that yet, or Arrow Refuse either. I too, like to make all my payments on-line, but I won't pay to do that, that's just silly. For those that haven't set up where a customer can pay on-line, without fees, I'll continue paying them by check.
Dutchlady
You are absolutely correct. I should have clarified and stated that all my bills in town, I can pay via online/phone except for AELP.
My utilities are part of my rent. I have do not have oil as I am in a 100% electric house.
to sync & dutchlady:
Just to let you know: I've been paying Arrow Refuse with a credit card over the phone for years; Taku Oil, too. No "convenience fee" surcharge with those utilities. Oh, how I love to see those Alaska Air miles add up on my Visa :-) !
twogood...
over the phone is not the same as on-line. I never, ever give my credit card number over the phone anymore. At least on-line you can look for the secure lock symbol; when you call over the phone you don't know who you're talking to or giving your information to. One time I called and ordered a pizza and had to give my credit card info because they no longer take checks. As I was reading my number, he was repeating it back to me so anybody could have heard that at his end. I stopped him mid way and asked him not to repeat the numbers back because that's not protecting my information. People are pretty careless with YOUR information, so you have to be your own advocate and choose the best and most secure solution for you.