KLKN-TV February 19, 2021 12:11 pm Video courtesy of the Nebraska Public Power District. COLUMBUS, Neb. (KLKN) — In the aftermath of severe weather events and widespread power outages, the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) says scammers are targeting Nebraska consumers. Scammers will often contact consumers directly, even appearing on your caller ID as a utility company- a practice known as ‘spoofing’. The scammers will claim your bill must be paid immediately or your power will be shut off. Some even allude that if you pay them right away, you will be excluded from the potential controlled outages. “Scammers have gotten very crafty in recent years and will often strike during severe events. Scammers can be very convincing and will do their best to get someone worried, or confused enough, they make a mistake and give away their money,” stated NPPD Retail General Manager Pat Hanrahan in a recent press release.