GAHANNA, Ohio — With Utility Scam Awareness Day today, and scammer activity picking up with the holiday season, it’s important to stay alert. That’s why AEP Ohio, an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, is sharing tips on how to recognize and report utility scams to help protect customers.
More than 2,000 scam attempts have been reported to AEP Ohio so far this year.
“We care about our customers and want to help keep them safe from bad actors. Scammers are getting more sophisticated, and we encourage all Ohioans to take steps to protect themselves,” said Laura Arenschield, vice president of customer experience. “AEP Ohio never asks for personal or financial information via phone call, text message, email or home visit, and we’ll never ask you to pay using a prepaid debit card. Our field personnel will never ask you to pay them directly, and we’ll never send automated phone calls about your account status.”
Follow these tips to avoid becoming a victim of scammers:
- Make payments via BillMatrix, online at AEPOhio.com or at an authorized pay station.
- If someone offers you bill assistance, exercise caution. You can find official payment assistance options at AEPOhio.com/Assistance.
- If you’re ever threatened with disconnection, check your account online at AEPOhio.com or through the AEP Ohio mobile app.
- If you receive a phone call that appears to be from AEP Ohio, be wary. Never dial phone numbers provided by a suspicious caller. Call the number shown on your bill or on our website to confirm.
- If you believe you’ve been contacted by a thief, or if you’re unsure about an employee’s identity or why they’re working near your home, call us at 800-672-2231. We’ll verify any information and whether AEP Ohio has contacted you about your bill.
For more information on how to protect yourself and loved ones from scams, please visit AEPOhio.com/StopScams.
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About AEP Ohio
AEP Ohio is based in Gahanna, Ohio, and is a unit of American Electric Power. AEP Ohio provides electricity to 1.5 million customers across 61 counties. News and information about AEP Ohio can be found at AEPOhio.com.
American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) is committed to improving our customers' lives with reliable, affordable power. We expect to invest $72 billion from 2026 through 2030 to enhance service for customers and support the growing energy needs of our communities. Our nearly 17,000 employees operate and maintain the nation's largest electric transmission system with 40,000 line miles, along with more than 252,000 miles of distribution lines to deliver energy to 5.6 million customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation's largest electricity producers with approximately 30,000 megawatts of diverse owned and contracted generating capacity. We are focused on safety and operational excellence, creating value for our stakeholders and bringing opportunity to our service territory through economic development and community engagement. Our family of companies includes AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, which provides innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. AEP is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. For more information, visit aep.com.