Refunds waiting for nearly 1400 former customers

Refunds for 1399 former Southern Pioneer Electric customers are waiting for them in the Kansas State Treasurer’s Unclaimed Property Division. The refunds are due to former customers that received service between March 2012 and July 2018 and paid their bill with an e-check.

An e-check is an electronic payment transacted via telephone or on-line using a checking account as opposed to a credit/debit card or automatic withdraw.

The company charged customers a $3.95 e-check transaction fee, which was not authorized by the Kansas Corporation Commission. As a result, the Commission ordered Southern Pioneer to refund the money last year. Customers still receiving service were given a bill credit in April 2019 for refunds due. At that time, notices were published in area newspapers to make the 1653 remaining former customers aware of the refunds, but the majority have not made claims. The funds were sent to the State Treasurer’s office earlier this month and can now be claimed there.

“It is important to the Commission that these former customers are aware of the refunds owed to them so they can claim their money,” said KCC Chair Susan Duffy.

To check if you have a refund that you have not claimed, call the Treasurer’s office at 785-296-4165, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The staff will do a search for your claim and walk you through the process of getting the money returned.

You can also search online at www.kansascash.ks.gov.

“Give us a call to see if we have money that belongs to you, either from Southern Pioneer Electric Company, or other sources you may not have known about. The process is quick and easy, and we look forward to the opportunity to put some money back in your pocket,” said Kansas State Treasurer Jake LaTurner.

Southern Pioneer serves residential customers in 10 southwest and south central Kansas counties.