ABILENE, Texas —
The City of Abilene's Water Utilities Department's Customer Service Center is warning customers about a significant increase in fraudulent calls from scammers claiming their water service is at risk and pressuring customers to make immediate payments through cash apps including Venmo.
Priscilla Rayford, customer service center division manager, said in a City press release the department never directly demands payment from customers through phone calls.
"Our primary mode of contact is through water bills," Rayford said. "On specific occasions, like when we notify customers of our annual Water Quality Report, we might send an email. However, we never make calls demanding money."
The Water Department does not accept payments through any third-party cash apps such as Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, CashApp or others and does not send text messages to demand payments from its customers.
Customers who receive suspicious calls regarding their water service should not make any payment.
For bill inquiries, or to verify the amount owed, contact the Water Department customer service at 325-676-6405 or online at abilenetx.gov.
