Scams are not unique to I&M, nor have they gone away with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Scams have been reported across the U.S. targeting various utility customers and companies, and some scam calls have recently been reported to I&M.
The scams often vary, but often work like this:
• Customers receive calls from scammers falsely identifying themselves as I&M employees.
• The caller claims the customer is late paying their bill, and their power will be disconnected if the customer does not pay immediately.
• Many scammers “spoof” the telephone number to appear as a different number. In some cases, it may appear to be an authentic I&M phone number.
• Customers are usually instructed to call a different number to arrange payment.
• The scammers may seek account information or personal credit card and banking information from customers. Some direct customers to buy a debit card and provide the debit card number.
During the pandemic, I&M has suspended disconnects for non-payment. We remind customers that they are still responsible for their bills and it is important that they continue paying for their usage.
For assistance on paying their bill, Indiana customers can contact us at 800-311-4634; Michigan customers should call 800-311-6424. We also encourage customers to follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/indianamichiganpower) and Twitter (@IN_MI_Power) and can speak directly with customer service specialists on those platforms.
Regardless of the situation, I&M employees NEVER call customers demanding immediate payment. Nor does I&M disconnect service without prior written warning.
Anyone receiving such calls should hang up and call I&M’s Customer Operations Center at 800-311-4634 to report the scam.
