RIPON – The Ripon Police Department says scammers are targeting people who lost their power in the recent severe weather event.
Roughly 9,000 Alliant Energy customers in the City of Ripon lost power on Wednesday night and Thursday morning as storms toppled trees and downed power lines.
Now, the Ripon Police Department says it has received reports of scammers calling residents posing as employees of a power company’s disconnection department. The scammers reportedly tell the victim that they have 30 minutes to make a payment or power to the home will be disconnected.
The Ripon Police Department says if you get a call like this, you should hang up right away. Then contact your energy provider directly to ask about any sort of payment.
The department is also reminding residents to vet local contractors before hiring anyone to help with debris removal.