PowerStream Alerting Customers Again to Phone Scam

VAUGHAN, ON--(Marketwired - September 18, 2014) - In response to increased activity in its service territory, PowerStream is once again alerting customers to a telephone scam that originally surfaced earlier this summer and has also been reported by several other Ontario utilities.

According to the reports, customers are receiving phone calls from people claiming to be from their "hydro company." The calls are being made from a 1-800 phone number and victims are being threatened with having their electrical service disconnected if they do not immediately provide payment in the form of a pre-paid payment card. The caller instructs the person to purchase a retailer gift card in the amount they claim is outstanding and requests the card number and PIN be called into a specified number.

PowerStream never asks for a pre-paid card payment for any outstanding account balance nor does its Customer Service department call from an outbound 1-800 number. The company's standard procedure for lengthy overdue accounts is to provide multiple notices prior to disconnection including an automated reminder call; as well PowerStream always hand delivers a Final Notice to the service address prior to any disconnection occurring.

In the event customers receive a suspicious call:

• Do not provide any personal information including PowerStream or credit card account numbers.
• Collect any information possible about the caller.
• Contact PowerStream's Customer Service department at 1-877-963-6900 during regular business hours, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. to report the incident.

ABOUT POWERSTREAM

PowerStream is a community-owned energy company that provides power and related services to more than 370,000 customers residing or owning a business in communities located immediately north of Toronto and in Central Ontario. It is jointly owned by the Cities of Barrie, Markham and Vaughan.

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