PPL Electric Utilities is joining this effort by sharing simple ways customers can avoid scams, report suspicious activity and protect their information.
A few basic steps can make a big difference.
What PPL Electric will never do
Scammers often rely on urgency and confusion. They may claim your power will be shut off within minutes unless you pay right away.
Remember:
- We will never demand immediate payment over the phone.
- We will never ask for payment using gift cards, prepaid cards or cryptocurrency.
- We will never show up at your door to demand cash.
- We will never ask for personal financial information through an unexpected call, text or email.
If something doesn’t feel right, slow down and verify.
Common utility scam tactics
Phone scams
Scammers may call and pretend to be from PPL Electric. They often:
- Claim your account is past due
- Threaten immediate shutoff
- Demand payment through apps or gift cards
Fake websites
Some scammers create lookalike websites that appear in search results. These sites are designed to collect your personal or payment information.
Text and email scams
You may receive a message saying your bill is overdue, with a link to a fake payment page.
Avoid, report and recover from scams
During National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission encourages consumers to focus on three key steps: avoid, report and recover.
Avoid scams
- Take your time before responding to unexpected calls, texts or emails.
- Be cautious of messages that create urgency or demand unusual payment methods.
- Go directly to pplelectric.com to check your account instead of clicking links.
Report scams
If you receive a suspicious message:
- Hang up or delete it.
- Contact us directly to verify your account.
- Report scam attempts to your local authorities or the Federal Trade Commission.
Recover from scams
If you think you’ve shared information or made a payment to a scammer:
- Contact your bank or payment provider right away.
- Report the incident to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Reach out to us so we can help you confirm your account status.
How to protect yourself
Keep these steps in mind:
Stop. Scammers want you to act fast. Take a moment to think.
Verify. If you’re unsure about a message, go directly to pplelectric.com or call 1-800-342-5775.
Protect your information. Never share personal or financial details with unexpected callers or through suspicious links.
Stay informed all year
Scam tactics change, but the warning signs are often the same: urgency, pressure and unusual payment requests.
Visit our Scam and Fraud Prevention page to learn more about how to recognize and avoid scams.
Just a thankyou!
Is it possible that I am being scammed in some way not listed? Although this was a brutal winter, I never had bills in the $700 or even the $500 range, unless your long-range records indicate otherwise. Although the folks at PPL solar power straightened out confusions regarding my charges at 261 Romberger Rd. and 261 Romberger Ln. (Elizabethville, PA 17023-8755) on the most recent bills at these two locations are exorbitant when compared to the previous several winters. While NO scams may be involved, and PPL has always been supportive of my utility needs, I know something is wrong, especially since I am doing my best to conserve energy. Regarding the Romberger Rd address, it is unoccupied and thermostats are cut back. If I am overlooking anything, I obviously need to know and will appreciate your help.
We understand how frustrating it is to see higher electric bills, and we want to reassure you that customers are not being scammed. This winter brought lower-than-average temperatures, which increased energy use, along with higher supply rates across the region.
Because we don’t have private messaging available, we encourage you to call our Energy Education team at 1‑800‑342‑5775 (Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM) so we can review your account, identify if there are any problems, and help with your options.
In the meantime, you may find it helpful to:
Monitor your usage through our online portal to identify ways to improve efficiency
Compare generation suppliers at papowerswitch.com
Enroll in Budget Billing, which spreads costs evenly throughout the year based on average usage and is reviewed every 3 months
If eligible, explore our WRAP program, which offers income-qualified customers a no-cost home energy assessment
Quiero que verifiquen mi hogar solo vivimos mis hijos y yo y nunca había tenido bills tan alto
Buenos días, Carmen.
Si tiene un perfil web configurado para su cuenta, por favor inicie sesión y consulte su consumo diario y por horas en línea en http://www.pplelectric.com/analyze. Podrá ver a qué hora del día su consumo es más elevado y realizar ajustes en su estilo de vida para reducirlo.
Consulte consejos para ahorrar energía y dinero en http://www.savewithppl.com. También ofrecemos una Evaluación Energética Virtual del Hogar GRATUITA que incluye una consulta telefónica con un Asesor Energético capacitado, recomendaciones de eficiencia energética específicas para su hogar y un kit de ahorro energético personalizado y gratuito. Para obtener más información y programar una cita, visite http://www.pplelectric.com/virtualassessment.
Solicite programas de asistencia en línea en http://www.pplelectric.com/billhelp. Lea más sobre cómo reducir su factura buscando un proveedor de generación con una tarifa más baja en http://www.pplelectric.com/shopping.
También contamos con un equipo de Educación Energética disponible de lunes a viernes, de 8:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m., para atender sus inquietudes sobre su consumo; llame al 1-800-342-5775 (diga “Energy Education”). Gracias.
PPL should check with a long term existing customer before they change it to another name with someone calling to change the account
Good morning, Pam,
Thank you for reaching out. As an added layer of protection for our customers, PPL does send a letter to the customer advising that we received an enrollment request from a supplier, and to contact us if they did not initiate the change. I hope this information is helpful. Thank you.
Will be careful not to answer phone or email if I am not sure it is legit
These tips are great! Thank you, PPL, for caring about your customers