SRP officials said they have received multiple reports in the last several weeks of scammers targeting customers and asking for payments via Zelle.

And scam acivity tends to increase over holiday weekends such as the Fourth of  July, they stated in a release.

To help customers identify possible scams, the utility offered this information:

• SRP does not accept payments through Zelle. Online payments go through SRP My Account™ or through Paymentus. If customers would like to pay in person with cash, they can visit more than 500 retail locations.
• SRP will not reach out and ask customers to pay using specific methods such as Zelle. “We may contact customers directly about payments but will never request that they use a particular accepted payment method,” officials stated.
• SRP will not ask customers to make an immediate payment. If they are at risk of power disconnection, “SRP will always send customers one or more notices by mail and/or email, if they are enrolled in SRP eNotes™. If we call to let customers know that their power will be disconnected, we will not pressure customers into paying over the phone.”

If customers receive a call from someone who says they are from SRP, hang up and call SRP directly at 602-236-8888 in English or 602-236-1111 in Spanish, even if the caller ID says the number is from SRP, company officials advise.

“Scammers can easily spoof any number, including ours, so even if it looks like a call is coming from SRP, it may not be,” officials stated.