OPPD warns of potential employee impersonation scam

Omaha Public Power District has received a report that a person pretending to be a utility employee attempted to gain access to a customer’s home.   

The customer said the scammer knocked on his door, claiming to be an OPPD employee offering a new meter. The man, described as clean-cut, claimed he needed access into the customer’s home. He reportedly became belligerent when the customer asked to see identification. Eventually, without being allowed inside, the scammer left.  

Our customer did exactly the right thing. Legitimate employees carry ID badges. There may be contractors completing work for OPPD who do not carry utility badges. Whether they’re claiming to be employees or contractors, always call OPPD at 402-536-4131 within the Omaha calling area or 1-877-536-4131 outside of the calling area, to verify the authenticity of the worker. Never allow access into your residence until you have verified that the person at your door is truly working for the utility. 

This case is a reminder of the kinds of con artists out there seeking to take advantage of utility customers – by phone and in person. It’s a problem not only here but across the nation. More commonly, scammers call customers claiming to represent the utility in order to obtain financial information over the phone. Never provide personal or financial information during unsolicited phone calls. Should any of our customers receive such a call, they should hang up and call OPPD directly with any questions about your account status. 

Often, scammers use news headlines about topics like storm-related power outages to take advantage of customers who may already feel vulnerable. In this recent in-person example, the scammer may have been trying to take advantage of the start of OPPD’s deployment of advanced infrastructure metering (AMI).  

AMI meter installations will take place over the next several years. Customers will be notified by OPPD prior to AMI meter deployment in their neighborhood. Only in the rare instance that a customer’s current meter is located inside their home would we require access. Again, the customer would have advance notice and should still be sure to check identification to ensure the person seeking entry is a legitimate employee.