Don’t Fall for the Call: City of Austin Utilities customers are reporting scam calls
October 28, 2020
City of Austin Utilities wants all customers to be aware of individuals posing as City of Austin or Austin Energy employees. These scammers are trying to take advantage of customers and steal money from them.
Since Saturday, the Utilities Customer Contact Center has received at least 31 calls from customers reporting a phone call from someone pretending to be from Austin Energy or City of Austin Utilities, demanding immediate payment of their utility bill or their utilities will be turned off. Customers are being asked by the scammers to call 1-800-433-0677.
Six things to know:
- The City of Austin Utilities Customer Contact Center does not call residential customers with cut-off deadlines. (Note: Commercial customers may receive a courtesy call two day prior to scheduled cut off for non-payment.)
- We will never ask for credit card or wire transfer information over the phone.
- While some customers do pay in cash, the City will never demand immediate payment in person with cash, gift card or Bitcoin.
- City of Austin Utilities accepts mail-in or walk-in payments or payments online at www.coautilities.com.
- If a City of Austin customer receives a phone call threatening to interrupt service, demand immediate payment, or request credit card or bank account information, hang up and dial 3-1-1 or 512-974-2000 and report the incident immediately.
- 6. Anyone who has received such a call or email and is uncertain of his or her account status can call the City of Austin Utilities Customer Contact Center at 512-494-9400.
Austin Energy manages the City of Austin utility billing for water, electric and other services.
Customers can make payments at the City's walk-in service center or the following authorized locations: most Austin H-E-B stores, ACE Cash Express, Money Box, Fiesta Mart and Randall's.
City of Austin walk-in service centers:
• Utility Customer Service Center (north branch), 8716 Research Blvd, Suite 115, Austin, Texas 78758 (near Ohlen Road and Highway 183)
The North Branch location reopened on Oct. 1, with limited hours of operation: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday — 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday — 10:00 a.m.to 5:00 p.m.
The drop box at the North Payment Center is open.
The East Payment Center location and drop box are temporarily closed in response to COVID-19.
Staff at authorized locations will ask for the customer's name, address, utility account number, or a combination of those identifiers before accepting payment. Balance information can only be provided to an account holder with a photo ID.
City of Austin utility customers who wish to make a utility bill payment by credit card can do so online at coautilities.com. City of Austin customer service representatives may give customers this web address or phone number but will NOT ask for a customer's credit card number to accept payment.