By Staff Reports
(Honolulu)– Hawaiian Electric is warning electric customers about an apparent telephone scam. Customers have reported receiving telephone calls saying that their electric bill is delinquent and that they’re subject to disconnection. Some of the customers were directed to pay their utility bill at a store using a service called “Money Pak.” The caller also directed customers not to make payments at the utility’s customer service office.
Hawaii Electric encourages customers to call its Customer Service Center at 548-7311 if they receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to represent the company. Customers wishing to pay their electric bills in person may do so at Hawaiian Electric’s customer service offices at 820 Ward Ave. and 900 Richards St. In addition, walk-in payments may also be made at these locations:
• First Hawaiian Bank
• Foodland
• Kmart
• Sack-N-Save
• Safeway
• Times Supermarket
• Walmart
In addition, Hawaiian Electric would like to remind customers not to provide personal, confidential, or financial information to any unidentified individual and urges customers to be cautious when responding to phone calls from unidentified individuals. Report any suspicious activity to the Honolulu Police Department.
Here are some safety tips to keep in mind:
• Be careful when taking calls from an unidentified phone number; phone scammers will want to remain anonymous.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions; get the caller’s name, phone number and company name. That might deter phone scammers from continuing the conversation.
• Hawaiian Electric employees would not direct you to make a payment at any location other than our customer service offices and those sites noted above.