How to spot a utility payment scam

Financial scammers often use the threat of disconnection of utility services to instill panic and fear, clouding the judgement of their targets. And, this tactic can be effective because it’s never a good time for your power to be out! At MidAmerican Energy, we want to provide you with ways to protect yourself and loved ones from becoming a victim of a utility payment scam.

Easy ways to report a possible scam:

MidAmericanEnergy.com/report-scams

888-427-5632

If you feel threatened by a caller or visitor claiming to work for MidAmerican, report it to your local law enforcement right away.

Frustrated woman on a mobile phone using a laptop

Anyone can be a target of a scammer

Be aware of some of the sneaky tactics scammers are using today:

They may call you and pose as a MidAmerican employee, demanding immediate payment for utility bills that they claim are past due and threatening disconnection. Some scammers will even ask for payment information, then use a fraudulent card to make you think your bill was paid.

We will never call you and demand immediate payment to avoid a same-day service disconnection. An actual disconnection notice would be provided via mail or email first.

They could send you a fake text message or email claiming a past-due bill.

Always log in to your My Account to view your amount owed or check your last paper bill before clicking or responding to a suspicious message that you are not expecting.

They could call you claiming that you have a natural gas leak and must pay to have it fixed.

We will never charge you to inspect a gas leak. If you smell, see or hear signs of a leak, please call us right away at 800-595-5325.

Fake emergency numbers may populate when searching on Google, Bing or another search engine.

You can always visit our Contact Us page to track down important phone numbers and confirm that the phone number is ours.

Follow these additional steps to stay safe:

Hang up if you suspect a scam or feel threatened.
Ask anyone who claims to work for MidAmerican to display their company badge.
Sign up for past-due bill reminders and payment confirmation emails in My Account. You’re less likely to fall for a scam when you know you’ve paid your bill.

The owner of Perry Bridal Boutique, Kerri Heinz, almost fell victim to a phone-based scam. Hear about Kerri’s close call and learn more about what to watch out for in this Energy Source video.

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