Black Hills Energy is warning of the resurgence of an old scam.

Company spokeswoman Laurie Farkas says multiple customers in the Cheyenne area have reported getting scam calls in which someone claiming to be from the utility attempts to gain personal information and payments.

"During the call, customers are told that their utility bill is delinquent, and service will be disconnected unless they pay the caller," Farkas said in a release.

"The following prompts are also offered: press #1 to make a payment, #2 to speak to an agent, or #3 to leave a message," she added. "If the customer chooses #2, the fake 'agent' requests personal and account information."

Farkas says this is a scam.

"The company is not making any such calls for payment," she said.

Farkas urges customers concerned about the identity of someone claiming to represent the company to call Black Hills Energy at 1-888-890-5554.


Additional tips:

  • Don’t give in to a high-pressure visit or call seeking personal information or attempting to sell you anything – if someone calls claiming to represent your local utility and they demand immediate payment or personal information, hang up and call the customer service number on your utility bill.
  • To verify whether a Black Hills Energy employee was dispatched to your location, call 1-888-890-5554. Black Hills Energy employees and contractors wear shirts with the Black Hills Energy logo, carry a company-issued photo ID, and drive logoed vehicles. Employees will gladly wait outside while you call the company to verify their identity.
  • Never provide your Social Security number, credit card numbers or bank account information to anyone during an unsolicited phone call or an unannounced visit.
  • Black Hills Energy customers who are experiencing financial hardships affecting their ability to timely pay their energy bills can visit blackhillsenergy.com to explore options to assist in those hardships.

LOOK: The biggest scams today and how you can protect yourself from them

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