Someone has been trying to rip off Redding Electric Utility customers. The caller claims to be from the “City of Redding Utilities Collection Department”, and contacts customers to say they’re behind on payments and will be shut off unless they make a credit card payment immediately. Another wrinkle of the scam is an offer of special rebates. REU says they do not solicit utility payments over the telephone or by e-mail, nor do they offer rebates in that manner. The rebates recently granted by REU were in the form of credits automatically applied to customers’ accounts. Suspicions should be reported to customer service at 339-7200.