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This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.

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LADWP warns customers of impostors posing as Department workers to commit scams

The LADWP's John Ferraro Building
The LADWP's John Ferraro Building
(
T Hoffarth/Flickr (Creative Commons-licensed)
)

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The L.A. Department of Water and Power is warning customers about impostors posing as Department workers.

DWP spokeswoman Jane Galbraith says in recent days, someone’s been calling customers on the phone asking for bill payments.

“What they want to do is trying to get money via a bogus unpaid LADWP balance by asking a customer to go to a local pharmacy and call a specific telephone number back with the customer’s financial information,” Galbraith said.

Galbraith says DWP never asks customers to provide financial information over the phone and that all their employees in the field wear easily identifiable LADWP uniforms and I.D. badges.

Galbraith said this isn’t the first time the utility company has dealt with scams.

“Most of the scams are persons dressing up in LADWP-type uniforms and representing themselves as LADWP workers claiming to collect bills, or read the meter, or come inside the home, check for water leaks," Galbraith said. "There are all kinds of things that have happened over the years.”

In June, DWP customers reported a number of burglaries by people posing as Department employees.

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LADWP customers can call the utility’s security services line to report suspicious activity at (213) 367-3373 or (213) 367-9111 or visit LADWP.com.

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