Black Hills : Important Fraud Advisory from Black Hills Energy in Wyoming
September 28, 2016 at 04:30 am IST
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CHEYENNE, WYO. - Sept. 27, 2016 - Black Hills Energy received a report this week of a scam involving unknown parties calling customers in the Riverton, Wyoming area, impersonating Black Hills Energy personnel and demanding money.
According to the reports, the fraudulent caller tells BHE customers their natural gas service will be disconnected if they don't pay immediately.
If you suspect fraud, immediately contact local law enforcement. If you have concerns or questions about Black Hills Energy employees, call Black Hills Energy at 888-890-5554. We can confirm the legitimacy of the claim and can also confirm bill payments, service work or a service call to any address.
That holds true for any utility. You can find the number to call on your monthly bill or the utility's website. It's important to know that scammers can cause caller ID displays to mimic legitimate companies, making it appear as if the call is legitimate.
These scams often start with different stories and can involve any utility provider or other type of business. Regardless, the way to avoid falling victim is usually the same:
Do not provide your Social Security number, credit card numbers or bank account information to anyone who requests that information during an unsolicited phone call or an unannounced visit.
If someone calls claiming they represent your local utility provider and they demand immediate payment or personal information, hang up and call the customer service number on your utility bill. Do not give in to a high-pressure call seeking personal information.
Never allow anyone into your home for an unannounced visit to check your natural gas pipes or your appliances unless you have scheduled an appointment or are aware of a confirmed problem. Any time a utility employee arrives at your door, require the employee to produce proper identification, and do not hesitate to confirm the visit with the utility company via a phone call before permitting any access to your property.
Black Hills Energy employees carry company-issued photo identification at all times and would be happy to have you contact our customer service number listed to verify their identity.
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Black Hills Corporation published this content on 27 September 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 27 September 2016 23:00:06 UTC.
Original documenthttp://www.blackhillscorp.com/node/117709
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Black Hills Corporation is a customer-focused, growth-oriented utility company. The Company serves 1.33 million natural gas and electric utility customers in eight states: Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. The Company has two segments. The Electric Utilities segment generates, transmits and distributes electricity to approximately 222,000 electric utility customers in Colorado, Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming. Its Electric Utilities own 1,394 megawatts of generation and 9,106 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines. Its Gas Utilities segment serves approximately 1,116,000 natural gas utility customers in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Wyoming. Its Gas Utilities own and operate approximately 4663 miles of intrastate gas transmission pipelines and 42,514 miles of gas distribution mains and service lines, seven natural gas storage sites, more than 50,000 horsepower of compression and 516 miles of gathering lines.