Statewide Iowa — MidAmerican Energy Company says some of their residential and business customers have reported receiving calls from imposters demanding immediate payment on behalf of MidAmerican.
The imposter scam callers threaten to shut off power unless the customer makes an immediate payment over the phone with a prepaid debit card, according to MidAmerican.
The utility says scammers are persistent and aggressive and can:
• Spoof caller-ID to make the call appear as if it is coming from the utility or any number.
• Require customers to make an immediate payment using a prepaid card (such as a Green Dot card).
• Threaten disconnection if the customer doesn’t pay immediately over the phone.
MidAmerican Energy says their customers who receive one of these scam calls should hang up, and report it to your local police department or sheriff’s office. MidAmerican stresses that they do not call customers demanding immediate payment by phone.
Once you’ve reported the call to law enforcement, MidAmerican asks that you report it to them at the number on your monthly utility bill, or call 888-427-5632. The utility stresses that you should NOT call the number that appears on your caller-ID display.
MidAmerican says customers who are behind on payments will receive several written notifications by mail, delivered to the residence or business address. Utility disconnection is a last resort, they say, not a first step in the process.
MidAmerican Energy says their customers should follow these steps to stay safe:
• Don’t pay immediately by phone, especially if you did not initiate the call.
• Remember, MidAmerican Energy accepts many forms of payment, but won’t demand a specific payment method by phone.
• Never give out personal or financial information when someone calls you. Do not share credit card, bank, prepaid money card or even gift card account numbers when you receive a call.
For more information, visit www.midamericanenergy.com/scams. The Consumer Protection Division of the Iowa Attorney General’s office has also set up a utility scam recording, just call 515-281-5926.
