MidAmerican Energy customers report surge in utility scam calls

DES MOINES — MidAmerican Energy Company customers this past week have reported an uptick in threatening calls from imposters who pose as MidAmerican Energy employees and demand immediate payment for utility bills that they claim are past due.

The callers threaten to shut off power unless the customer pays immediately by phone with a prepaid debit card. The call may appear legitimate because callers manipulate caller ID to display the MidAmerican Energy name along with a phone number.

MidAmerican Energy does not call customers demanding immediate payment by phone.

Customers who receive a suspicious call should hang up. Notify MidAmerican Energy at the number on your monthly utility bill, or call 888-427-5632. If you feel threatened by the call, report it to your local law enforcement. Do not call the number that appears on your caller-ID display, even if you think it might be legitimate.

To check your billing status, call MidAmerican Energy or access your billing records online through My Account on the company's website at midamericanenergy.com.

“We provide several notifications to customers who are behind on payments,” Mike Gehringer, vice president of customer operations, said. “Utility disconnection is a last resort, not a first step in the process. Protecting customers from scams is a top priority for us.”

Customers should follow these steps to stay safe:

• Do not pay immediately by phone, especially if you did not initiate the call.

• Remember, MidAmerican Energy accepts many forms of payment, but does not demand a specific payment method by phone.

• Never give out personal or financial information when someone calls you. Do not share credit card, bank, prepaid money card or even gift card account numbers when you receive a call.

For more information, visit midamericanenergy.com/scams.​