MidAmerican Energy launches anti-scam campaign to inform customers

MidAmerican Energy Company recently launched a program that targets energy scams that are becoming prevalent across its service regions.

The program, called “Slam the Scam,” will work to raise awareness of the common scamming methods, informing customers of known telephone and door-to-door spoofing techniques.

“Our message is simple,” Terry Ousley, vice president of customer satisfaction for MidAmerican Energy said. “If you receive a questionable phone call or if someone suspicious shows up at your home or business, slam down the phone or slam the door and immediately call MidAmerican Energy to check on your account, and call local police to report the scam.”

A common phone scam involves scammers insisting that a past-due payment will result in an immediate service disconnection if payment is not made quickly – sometimes within the hour. The scammers will often insist that payment be made using a prepaid debit or credit card, requiring that the cardholder’s information be given over the phone.

“That is not how we operate,” Ousley said. “If someone is behind on payments, they will receive several notifications, including a notice in the mail, before disconnection takes place. We offer many payment options. Disconnection is a last resort, not a first step.”