Officials from Valley Electric Association have issued a warning to members of the co-op this week, involving a potential scam.
As stated on its Facebook page, the utility was recently made aware of the scam, targeting members through social media platforms, particularly Facebook.
VEA’s Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications Mike Hengle said the scam is presented as a Valley Electric promotional contest, and claims that Valley Electric Association is conducting a drawing for a $1,000 Walmart gift card for being a loyal customer.
“I’m not really sure what they are seeking,” Hengle said. “One of the employees got the notice which seemed to connect us to a program that we are not connected to. I don’t exactly know what they are trying to convince people to do. I just want to let people know that we are in no way associated with it. We have had promotional contests in the past, but not like that.”
Additionally, Hengle said those who may encounter the scam should not respond to it.
“They should contact the Nye County Sheriff’s Office if they feel like they are being taken in on this,” he said. “Please be aware that this is a scam and we understand that it is sometimes difficult to identify scams. Our team is constantly working to identify potentially harmful scams that may affect our members.”
Anyone who may have been targeted for the ruse can also contact the utility’s main office at 775-727-5312, to verify the validity of any programs or offers from VEA.
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. Follow @sharrispvt on Twitter.