PNM warns customers of scam phone calls

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — PNM issued a warning to customers Monday, advising them on how not to fall victim to scammers during the holiday season.

Officials say there have been 355 reported scam calls so far this year. They say there’s usually a rise in calls during the holiday season when scammers reportedly become more aggressive.

The most commonly reported scam is a caller threatening to disconnect a customer’s power unless they pay their bill. Then, they request the customer pay with a gift card or wire transfer.

Scammers usually demand between $200-500 from residential customers. That number goes up to more than $1,000 for business customers.

Reports indicate customers overlooked many of the red flags of the scam, saying they were afraid to be without power with extensive cooking and parties coming up.

PNM says to watch out for those red flags and to follow these safety tips:

• Hang up immediately if you suspect the caller is a scammer
• Contact PNM at 888-342-5766 if you wonder if the call is a legitimate PNM phone number
• PNM will never call on a holiday or outside of Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Report suspicious activity to PNM as soon as possible