Missouri American Water Provides Tips for Identifying Scammers on Utility Scam Awareness Day

Rhea-AI Summary

Missouri American Water is raising awareness about utility scams on Utility Scam Awareness Day. The company warns about two common scam tactics: imposters posing as utility workers to enter homes and fraudulent urgent payment demands to prevent service disruption.

To protect against scams, customers should:

• Always verify worker identity by requesting identification
• Contact the utility company's customer service to confirm legitimacy of communications
• Remain skeptical and ask questions
• Stay calm during potential scam attempts
• Never give cash to field workers

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Missouri American Water wants to keep customers and the public safe on Utility Scam Awareness Day, by providing important tips to help identify and avoid scammers targeting unsuspecting utility customers.

Utility company imposters often attempt to scam individuals in two main ways: 1) they may pose as utility workers to gain access to someone's home; 2) they might urgently contact the person, either by phone or another method, demanding immediate payment to prevent a disruption in services. It's important to be cautious and verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a utility worker before letting them into your home or providing any personal information.

Missouri American Water urges customers and the public to verify the identity of utility workers by requesting identification before granting access to their homes or businesses:

• Always verify. When unsure about an incoming phone call or email, stop the communication and verify with the utility company's customer service number to confirm legitimacy.
• Be skeptical. When receiving a phone call, text message, email, or visit from someone, be sure to ask questions and verify their identity before giving out any personal or financial information.
• Remain calm. Scammers thrive on panic. If you are worried, hang up the phone or close and lock your door, and call your utility company to verify.
• Never give cash. Our employees and contractors never collect money or credit card information from customers in the field.

By implementing these tips, you can stay one step ahead and safeguard your personal information from being compromised.

For more information, visit the Better Business Bureau here.

About American Water

American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water’s 6,500 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

About Missouri American Water

Missouri American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.6 million people. For more, visit missouriamwater.com and follow Missouri American Water on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241120164188/en/

Media:

Christie Barnhart

Senior Manager, External Communications

Christie.barnhart@amwater.com

Source: Missouri American Water

FAQ

What are the main scam tactics Missouri American Water (AWK) warns about in 2024?

Missouri American Water warns about two main scam tactics: imposters posing as utility workers to gain home access and fraudulent urgent payment demands threatening service disruption.

How can customers verify legitimate Missouri American Water (AWK) workers?

Customers should always request identification from utility workers before granting access to homes or businesses, and verify by calling the company's customer service number.

Does Missouri American Water (AWK) collect cash payments from customers in the field?

No, Missouri American Water employees and contractors never collect money or credit card information from customers in the field.

What should customers do if they receive suspicious utility-related communications from Missouri American Water (AWK)?

Customers should stop the communication, remain calm, and contact the utility company's customer service number directly to verify the legitimacy of any requests.