Alerting customers to potential summer utility scams
Ameren Missouri offers tips to identify and avoid common utility scams during busy summer season
With summer in full swing, scammers are using sophisticated new strategies to target utility customers with the goal of stealing money or personal and financial information.
“Scammers tend to increase their activity when summer temperatures are at their hottest and when you’re most reliant on your air conditioner,” said Carlos Ross, security manager for Ameren. “They also aim to reach customers when they are busy enjoying summer activities, such as vacations, traveling or attending social events, to create fear if an immediate payment is not made to them."
Below are several popular tactics used by scammers, especially during the summer months:
Scammers often create a sense of urgency, using language like “pay now or you’ll be disconnected,” or presenting special discount offers to reduce your utility bill if you pay a portion immediately.
Watch out for fake contact phone numbers and website links that mimic official company contact information. Don’t trust online search engine results, especially when using a mobile device, to find contact information. Go directly to Ameren.com for company contact information.
A sophisticated tactic involves scammers masking incoming calls, so they appear to be from Ameren Missouri and then giving a different phone number to the customer to use to make a payment.
Scammers are deploying a new tactic and promising to reduce utility bills if customers install solar panels on their house. They are going door-to-door to pitch these fake solar offers.
To protect customers against these tactics, Ameren Missouri offers the following tips and advice.
Never act immediately to make a payment on the phone. Always hang up if you are being pressured to make an immediate payment and check your account on Ameren.com or call Ameren Missouri at 1.800.552.7583 to check your account status.
Don’t give out your personal or financial information.
Never purchase a prepaid card to avoid service disconnection or shutoff. Legitimate utility companies do not specify how customers should make a bill payment and always offer a variety of ways to pay a bill. Ameren Missouri customers can make payments online, by phone, by electronic check, by mail or at in-person pay locations.
Act quickly if you have given the suspected scammer money — contact your local police department to file a report.
For more information, please visit Ameren.com/stop-scams. To receive the latest scam alerts, follow Ameren on social media and sign up to manage your account online at Ameren.com where you can immediately check the status of your account if you believe you have been a victim of a utility scam.