Scams

Scammers often pretend to be utility companies. They might call, text, email, or visit you in person and threaten to shut off your electric or water service if you don’t pay them immediately. These scammers want to scare you into paying before you have time to confirm what they’re telling you.

Common Scams

Email scams: New email scams can involve fake utility bills being emailed that say payment is due immediately. You may even receive a fake bill from a utility outside of our area. If you receive an email with a bill that looks different from your normal bill or asks for personal information like your Social Security or credit card numbers, you should delete the email and not click on any links.

Phone scams: Sophisticated scammers use spoofing technology to look and sound like us. Their caller ID can show as TPU’s Customer Service line (253-502-8600). If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to represent TPU and demanding payment, hang up immediately.

Protect your digital footprint

More people are relying on digital ways to conduct their everyday business, including managing utility accounts, viewing power and water usage data, and paying bills. Although doing things online makes life more convenient, it also opens the opportunity for cybercriminals to gain unauthorized access to your personal information. This information can be used to cause you harm, including creating very realistic-seeming scam messages.

Here are some ways to keep your digital information safe:

• Don’t reuse passwords between different websites 
• Use complex passwords, also known as “passphrases” to make them more difficult to crack 
• Consider a “password locker” app that uses a secure code to access your passwords for websites 
• Use multi-factor authentication for any sites that offer it 
• Don’t store your usernames and passwords in a digital or online document that doesn’t have password protection 
• Never click on suspicious links in emails or text messages 
• If you receive a notification to reset a password that you did not request, report it immediately 
• Call a trusted number to verify unexpected emails or text messages you may receive, not the number listed on the email. 

• Remember TPU accepts traditional payment methods of cash, check, credit and debit cards. It is never necessary for you to buy a separate prepaid card to avoid disconnection. Explore our many ways to pay.
• Never give your credit or debit card number or any other personal information to anyone without knowing their true identity.
• Remember that scammers can make it look like they’re calling or emailing from the utility when they are calling from somewhere else.