EPHRATA - According to Grant PUD publicist Thomas Stredwick, telephone scammers are calling Grant PUD customers and threatening to shut off their electricity unless an immediate payment is made.

Grant PUD customers have reported receiving calls from individuals mis-representing themselves as PUD employees and demanding that customers meet them in a location other than a PUD office to make the payment.

"Grant PUD employees do not ask customers to meet them to make payments at a location other than a regular Grant PUD payment facility," Stredwick said.

"While Grant PUD does at times make courtesy calls to customers who are behind on their power bills, all customers who are unsure about the legitimacy of a call from the PUD should tell the caller they will hang up and call back," he added.

Then the customer should return the call using a Grant PUD number. Grant PUD's main customer service number is (509) 766-2505 or toll free (800) 422-3199.

"Any calls that are suspected to be a scam should be reported to the customer's local police agency," Stredwick said.