Latest news with #ONCOR
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Yahoo
New electric company scam has Wichitans on their toes
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) —While Wichita Falls continues to deal with a flood advisory, some people are facing a new threat: an electricity scam. Suszette McKee's street is usually quiet. But recently, an electric company scam has broken the peace, soliciting McKee and some of her neighbors. The alleged company offered to lower her bill by removing ONCOR delivery charges, but McKee felt it was fishy after she asked for more information. 'He wouldn't tell me anything,' McKee said. 'He wouldn't give me any information. Do you know what company you work for? And then I asked him, do you have an ID? And he said yes, I do. And he's flipping around on his phone, and then he changed the subject and never showed me an ID or anything.' When she declined the offer, the scammer left, and McKee then called Reliant Energy about the attempted scam. They said they've received many calls about scams of that nature. Had McKee fallen for it, she discovered the consequences could have been significant. 'What they could do is if they get your account number, they can just change your electric company without you even knowing it,' McKee said. McKee said the scammers were wearing basic yellow safety vests and lanyards that said 'Simplicity' on them. Now that she's aware of the risks the scammer's plan posed, she wants her neighbors and others to be aware of them too. 'There are a couple of people on the neighborhood app that have said the same things happened to them,' McKee said. 'So, I just wanted people to be aware, you know, if somebody comes up and, especially if they ask to look at your electric bill, don't let them.' McKee lived through the Terrible Tuesday tornadoes in 1979 and has experienced her fair share of scams stemming from that incident. As experienced as she is, she'll be even more wary about who she trusts with her electric bill. 'I'll go on the website, or I'll call, you know, the electric company and see what deals are best for me or something,' McKee said. 'But I wouldn't trust anybody to come to my door and want to sell me electric or anything.' The Better Business Bureau is just one place with advice and resources available to prevent falling victims to scams. It's always important to do the proper research before hiring or making a financial decision involving another company. So, with Wichita Falls already in the height of storm season, electric company scammers are just one more thing for Wichitans to watch out for. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Odessa residents left wondering: What's causing the flickering lights?
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Residents across Odessa and surrounding areas have reported repeated instances of their lights flickering, with some also hearing strange noises in the aftermath. The issue, which seems to have persisted for weeks, has left many searching for answers. According to discussions and concerns voiced via social media, the phenomenon appears to be widespread, with residents from different parts of Odessa and even Big Spring sharing their experiences. A Facebook thread discussing the issue has drawn multiple responses: One resident posted, 'As of 5:40 a.m. on February 6, my lights have flickered twice, and I've heard a boom 10-15 seconds afterward. South of Odessa, near S Loop 338 and S 385.' Another resident in North Odessa shared, 'This is weird y'all, our lights are flickering again this morning on 87th St.' Someone in East Odessa reported a similar experience, saying, 'I've had my lights flicker and there's a loud noise coming from somewhere near me like a wind noise, almost like a helicopter, but it's been going for an hour almost!' The reports continue to pour in from West Odessa and Tanglewood, with many claiming this has been an ongoing issue for the past few weeks. One resident observed, 'I notice most of it in the early morning and evenings because it's before/after sunlight hours. Not hearing the booms described, but I live in a neighborhood with tree cover, so it muffles a lot of sound.' Based on the discussion, the flickering situation is not limited to Odessa alone, as residents in Big Spring have also experienced similar flickering lights. To shed light on the issue, we reached out to Gus Ortega with ONCOR, who explained that there could be several potential causes of the flickering. 'It could be a number of things,' Ortega said. 'Sometimes, wildlife gets into the lines, causing momentary disruptions. If something comes into contact with our power lines, it may cause flickering, but the lights usually come back on quickly. Another possibility is a vehicle hitting a pole, causing wires to touch and momentarily disrupt power.' According to the Oncor outage map, there are no reported outages in Odessa. In Midland, however, there are around 216 total customers affected by different outages. Excluding the 216 customers in the City of Midland, on the outskirts, Near North State Highway 349, there is another outage impacting reportedly 210 customers. This outage is estimated to be fixed by February 6, 2025, at 12:30 PM. Based on the outage map provided by Oncor, there is no definitive answer as to what is causing these flickering lights around the Permian Basin. Ortega said that while the causes remain unknown, it is important for customers who may be experiencing these flickering lights, to call and report it. Ortega reassured residents that ONCOR is monitoring the situation and encourages anyone experiencing persistent flickering to check the ONCOR outage map or report issues by calling 888-313-4747. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
