SOUTH BEND, Ind. – During National Consumer Protection Week, Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) wants to empower customers to avoid falling victim to scammers.

Scams are regularly reported across the U.S. targeting various utility customers and companies.

The scams do vary, but often work like the below example specific to I&M: 

• Customers receive calls or emails from scammers falsely identifying themselves as I&M employees. 
• The scammer 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. 

I&M wants customers to know the following in terms of how it conducts business so they can differentiate between I&M and a potential scam or scammer.

• I&M and its employees NEVER call customers demanding immediate payment.
• I&M does NOT disconnect service without prior written warning.
• If an I&M employee or contractor is on your property they will have proper identification in the form of a photo badge or a proper logo on their clothing or vehicles.

I&M offers additional tips for customers:

• Do not provide any bank account or credit card information to anyone calling you saying they are with I&M.
• Do not provide your social security number to anyone calling you saying they are with I&M.
• If you receive a phone call or visit from a potential scammer, please notify I&M via our 24/7 Customer Operations Center:
  • Indiana customers call 1-800-311-4634
  • Michigan customers call 1-800-311-6424.

Customers can follow I&M on Facebook and Twitter where they can also speak directly with customer service specialists.

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Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its approximately 2,100 employees serve more than 599,000 customers. More than two-thirds of its energy delivered in 2019 was emission-free. I&M has at its availability various sources of generation including 2,278 MW of nuclear generation in Michigan, 450 MW of purchased wind generation from Indiana, more than 22 MW of hydro generation in both states and approximately 15 MW of large-scale solar generation in both states. The company’s generation portfolio also includes 2,620 MW of coal-fueled generation in Indiana.

American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to our customers. AEP’s more than 17,400 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 221,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 30,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 5,300 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas). AEP also owns AEP Energy, AEP Energy Partners, AEP OnSite Partners and AEP Renewables, which provide innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide.

News releases and other information about I&M are available at IndianaMichiganPower.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

Schnee’ Garrett

Indiana Michigan Power Communications

574-218-5987

smgarrett@aep.com