Stories about APS
Harassing widows
Over on Facebook, my mother’s friend Carolyn reports:
I have another APS story. My husband and I moved here in 2001. He passed away from a heart attack in 2006. I had always paid our bills and I just continued paying APS every month There was no interruption of service and I have never been late. About 5 years after he passed I got a notice from APS that they were terminating my service. No explanation, just we are cutting off your power in 10 days. When I called to find out why I was told that they had learned that my husband had died and only his name was on the bill. That if something happened APS couldn't be sure they would be paid. “We need to have a responsible person's name on the bill,” so I added my name to the bill. I then learned APS does this to widows all the time. Unfortunately some women don’t have their own credit and they have to have their children or someone else put their name on the APS bill. One poor lady I spoke with was so upset. She didn’t know what to do and was frightened of having her power turned off. There was no, “Sorry your husband died,” from APS, just “We have to make sure our bill is paid.”
Not paying what they owe
One of my mother’s neighbors passed this along:
I would like to add another APS story. I was responsible for my handicapped brother. We moved him here Cheyenne when he needed family and help. He had Cerebral Palsy and couldn't walk etc. He lived in a one bed condo in Sun City that the family bought for him. It was like your Mom's and we made it ADA compliant. Jim was on SS and was so frightened of having his power cut off that he over paid them, a lot. When he became ill I moved into a care home and I sold the condo and had the power shut off. My handicapped, elderly brother had a $3000 refund from APS. They just kept taking his money and never questioned a $3000 overage on his account.
He was 80 years old and in a wheel chair. He could handle day to day activities, but he needed support which we gave him. But I had no reason to check on his bills. He didn't have any except for utilities, HOA and food.
I believe the polite word for describing APS is “greedy”.
