MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Officials are warning about phone scammers who are posing as employees of Minneapolis power company Xcel Energy and is threatening to cut people's power.
The scammers are calling people telling them they owe hundreds of dollars in past due payments and say someone is on their way to cut power at their home or business.
Xcel Energy wants customers to know that they would not call a customer if they were about to shut off the power, and they would instead send a notice in the mail.
They also say they do not cut power between mid-October and mid-April to ensure Minnesotans don't lose their primary heating source during the brutal winters.
This comes just after another announcement of a scamming attempt where the scammers claiming to be from Xcel Energy contacting potential job applicants with employment offers. The scammers are attempting to trick job applicants into divulging personal information on a fraudulent job application.
Xcel says that they only accept job applications through their website, and that all attempts to gather personal details from customers should be reported to their recruiting department.
If anyone claiming to be from Xcel Energy comes to your property, they encourage you to ask to see identification. All employees carry company id cards.