Ameren Illinois today issued a warning that con artists are attempting to defraud customers and may be attempting to steal identities.
“Ameren Illinois representatives never come to your home and demand payments or threaten to disconnect service unless they receive a payment. Our field representatives do not accept payments for service. Our representatives never call you and ask for personal information such as the name of your financial institution or checking account numbers,” said Stan Ogden, vice president of Customer Service and Public Relations.
Identification carried by Ameren Illinois employees shows the employee’s photograph, name, employee number and an official Ameren logo.
Ameren Illinois offers these suggestions:
• Customers who have questions about the identity of a utility worker should ask the person to wait outside while they call for verification. Customers then should phone Ameren Illinois at 1-800-755-5000.
• If a caller claims to be an Ameren Illinois representative and demands immediate payment over the phone or requests other personal information, hang up and call Ameren Illinois.
• Do not give anyone who comes to your home, anyone who calls or anyone who sends an e-mail your credit card, debit card, Social Security, ATM, checking or saving account numbers.
• If a customer suspects a person is impersonating a utility worker, the customer should end the conversation and immediately call local police and Ameren Illinois.
• Never let anyone in your home who wants to check your electrical wiring, natural gas pipes or appliances unless you have scheduled an appointment or have reported a natural gas leak and the person has proper identification.
• Phone the police if someone calls you and requests that you leave your home at a specific time for an alleged utility issue. The caller may be planning a burglary.
• If you believe an attempt has been made to defraud you or steal your identity, report the incident immediately to your local police department.
Additional information about identity theft and fraud is available on the U.S. Department of Justice’s website (www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html).
Ameren Illinois has been providing energy delivery service for more than a century. We deliver energy to 1.2 million electric and 813,000 natural gas customers in downstate Illinois, and our mission is to meet their energy needs in a safe, reliable, efficient and environmentally responsible manner. Our service area covers more than 1,200 communities and 43,700 square miles. For more information, visit AmerenIllinois.com.
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Contacts: Leigh Morris, 1-217-535-5228, lmorris@ameren.com; Victoria Busch, 1-618-346-1286, vbusch@ameren.com; Neal Johnson, 1-309-677-5284, njohnson@ameren.com