Good afternoon,
MGE shared the information below with local media on March 20, regarding MGE business customers recently reporting they were contacted by phone by MGE for immediate payment of their bill.
Please read this information carefully and call our customer service number, 608-252-7222, if someone calls, claiming to represent MGE and demanding immediate payment or personal information. While the customers calling MGE to report these scams are business customers, we believe it is important to share the following information with residential customers too.
Our Customer Center has received dozens of calls this week from customers who were targets of these scammers.
The scammers contact a business customer and pose as a representative from MGE. They attempt to collect money by claiming accounts are past due.
The scammers typically give instructions to pay with a prepaid debit card or wire transfer, and often threaten disconnection within the hour. MGE does not accept payment with prepaid cards.
These imposters continue to get more sophisticated as they are able to manipulate the caller ID to look like the call is coming from MGE or claim to know recent bill amounts.
This is not how MGE operates.
- MGE will never call and demand immediate payment with credit, debit, green dot cards or any other form.
- MGE does not accept payments made with any prepaid card.
- MGE will never threaten that we are coming within the hour to disconnect.
- When a customer faces disconnection for non-payment there are several past due notifications that come in writing.
MGE suggests:
- Hanging up and calling our customer service number, 608-252-7222, if someone calls claiming to represent MGE and demands immediate payment or personal information.
- Don’t call a number given to you. Phone numbers can be manipulated to appear as though you’re calling MGE. Only call the MGE customer service number, 608-252-7222.
- Never give out personal information like social security numbers, credit card or banking information or account numbers during an unsolicited call.
- Never allow anyone into your business or home for an unannounced visit to check your meter, electrical wiring, natural gas pipes or your appliances unless you have a scheduled appointment or are aware of a confirmed problem. Always ask for identification. All MGE employees carry ID. If you’re not sure, call our customer service number, 608-252-7222, and ask if an employee is supposed to be at your home.
- Share this information with employees and business associates.
- Call the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, 1-800-422-7128 to report an attempted scam.
- If you suffer a financial loss as a result of scam activity, contact the police.
Other Wisconsin utility company customers have experienced similar scams.
Visit mge.com/scam for more tips and info about these scams.
