Atmos Energy joins Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS) to support International Fraud Awareness Week and recognize the seventh annual Utility Scam Awareness Day, an advocacy and awareness campaign focused on educating customers and exposing the tactics used by scammers. This year’s theme is "Uniting to #StopScams."
“Beware of bogus emails or texts requesting immediate payment of your bill, particularly with prepaid debit cards,” said Kay Coomes, Atmos Energy manager of public affairs. “Also, beware of impostors demanding payment at your door — our employees will not collect payments in person. Always ask for an employee’s identification badge, which displays name, photograph, and Atmos Energy logo. If you suspect an impostor, call our customer service number at 888.286.6700 to verify the employee's identity and contact local authorities.”
UUAS, a consortium of more than 150 U.S. and Canadian electric, water, and natural gas utilities and their respective trade associations, continues to raise customer awareness of common scams and new scam tactics being used by utility impostors. Through its work and with the help of customer reporting, UUAS has successfully helped to take nearly 13,000 toll-free numbers used by scammers against utility customers out of operation.
In recent years, utilities have seen an increase in reported scammers who are contacting customers seeking payments and personal and financial information to avoid service interruptions. As a reminder, Atmos Energy will never ask for payments using a pre-paid debit card, gift card, cryptocurrencies, or third-party digital payment mobile applications. Atmos Energy will also provide multiple notices and work to assist customers with payment plan options before service interruptions.
“Scammer tactics are becoming increasingly sophisticated, but utility impostor scams are oftentimes as simple as a scammer posing as a customer’s local utility, calling and threatening to shut off their service unless they provide payment,” said Monica Martinez, executive director of UUAS. “Customers shouldn’t be afraid to end a call that they suspect is a scam. You can always end the call and dial the number on your utility’s bill or on the utility website to confirm. Most utilities will send overdue notices in the mail rather than by calling, and they always provide several notices that help educate customers about the options available to help them manage financial hardships.”
Customers who suspect fraud or who feel threatened during contact with a scammer should contact local law enforcement authorities and the Atmos Energy customer service team at 888.286.6700, Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. CST.
For more information and tips to protect against impostor utility scams:
