Desert Messenger

November 2, 2016 www.DesertMessenger.com 5 Read Desert MESSENGER ONLINE @ www.MyQuartzsite.com New scam targeting local APS customers Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com /DesertMessengerNews Follow on Twitter @DesertMessenger @QuartzsiteRain A date with space TOOLS TOOLS TOOLS & TARPS & TARPS & TARPS VENDOR SUPPLIES • Canopies • All Sizes of Tarps • RV Supplies • Tools • Table Legs • Hand & Power Tools Open 9am-5pm - 7 days a week LOCATED AT TYSON CENTRE #1 121 W. Kuehn, Quartzsite K & B "The place with the stuff!" "If we don't have it, you don't need it!" Ladies Stuff, too! We‛re Honored to have Received the 1st Town of Quartzsite VENDOR APPRECIATION AWARD! 90 incidents reported in just 10 days Statewide! Arizona Public Service (APS) is- sued a warning last week about a new scam where criminals mas- querading as APS employees are calling customers demanding im- mediate payment of their electric bill under the threat of having their power turned off. Potential victims are instructed to purchase prepaid cards in a specifi c amount, and then call a special number to make the payment. In some instances, the call back number goes to an automated phone system that acts and sounds like the actual APS Customer Care Center. While it is impossible to know how many customers have been tar- geted or have fallen for the scam, APS security has received reports of more than 90 incidents across the state in just 10 days. Quartzsite residents have also have received the bogus calls. APS encourages customers who have been targeted to report the incident to local law enforcement along with APS at (602) 371-7171 or (800) 240-2014 (outside metro-Phoenix). To keep customers from becoming a victim of consumer scams, APS provides the following guidance: • APS never requires payment via a prepaid card. • The only valid phone numbers to call the APS Customer Care Center are listed on customer bills and at aps.com. • If there is ever a question about the validity of an email, website or person claiming to be an APS rep- resentative, call the APS Customer Care Center immediately at (602) 371-7171 to verify this information. • Recognize the signs of a phishing email: mismatched fonts, missing hyperlinks, improper grammar and misspellings. • Never share credit card informa- tion with an unverifi ed source. Customers who pay by credit card at aps.com will be directed to the KUBRA EZ-Pay website, which asks them to enter a "captcha" vali- dation code. A "captcha" typically uses a set of letters and numbers that the user is required to manu- ally retype and submit. Any other credit card payment site is fraudu- lent and should not be used. • APS encourages customers who have been targeted to re- port the incident to local law enforcement along with APS at (602) 371-7171 or (800) 240-2014 (outside metro-Phoenix). Written by: Karl Briesch and Abigail Van Dyke This may be one of the most im- portant dates in all of the La Paz County. In early January 2017, the Quartzsite Improvement Associa- tion (QIA) will be hosting an event dedicated to our students and com- munity to make contact with the International Space Station (ISS.) The United States program, which includes ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corpo- ration) and the ARRL (American Radio Relay League) accepted our community's joint proposal. This event will allow members of our community to, not only contact ISS, but they will also learn a lot about space exploration and Ama- teur Radio. "It's a great opportunity for youth and the community to learn about engineering, space exploration and mathematics, and not only that but to bring families and the commu- nity together," said Heather Caton. Both of us, and a lot of our fellow club members think that this is an amazing opportunity for our com- munity and for others around our age to have fun but also learn about space exploration. To learn more visit azara.org DEADLINE : WED. NOV. 9 TH for the nov 16 th edition Desert Messenger News Email: editor@DesertMessenger.com 928-916-4235 www.DesertMessenger.com

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