NIPSCO warns customers to be aware of scams

MERRILLVILLE — NIPSCO has seen a recent uptick in customer reports of scammers calling homes and businesses posing as NIPSCO employees. As the holiday season approaches, NIPSCO expects scam attempts to continue to rise— an issue impacting many energy companies around the U.S.

Recent and common reports from NIPSCO residential and business customers state that they have received calls and texts from people claiming to be NIPSCO employees and demanding payment to avoid their service being disconnected. However, the company wants to emphasize that NIPSCO does not call and demand immediate payment via a prepaid card.

If customers are unsure of their account status, they may log into their account at NIPSCO. com or contact NIPSCO’S Customer Care Center at 1-800-464-7726. Additionally, customers should NOT call any number they are given.

Additional tips for customers to avoid potential scams

• Call us – If you are unsure about a phone call, email, program, offer or person claiming to be affiliated with NIPSCO, please call our 24- hour Customer Care Center at 1-800-4647726.

• Guard your personal information – Never give personal information, including your NIPSCO account number, social security number and/ or banking information to unconfirmed sources. We only ask for a social security number when establishing new service or verifying a customer’s identity.

• Know your payment options – We will never ask for a pre-paid debit card or money gram as a payment method. To more easily spot a potential scam, learn more about our payment options at NIPSCO. com/ billand- payments/ payment-options.

• Never agree to meet in person – Some scammers ask customers to meet them in person to make payments with cash or prepaid cards, which you should avoid.

What to do if someone visits your home or business

• Ask to see ID – Our employees and contractors carry photo ID badges and will gladly show you upon request.

• Use caution with cash – Our employees do not collect cash payments nor deliver cash refunds or rebates to customers. Refrain from sending cash through the mail to prevent loss or theft.

For more information on authorized, secure payment methods and locations, as well as flexible payment plan options for those experiencing a hardship, visit: NIPSCO. com/ bills- and- payments/ payment- options.

About NIPSCO: Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC ( NIPSCO), with headquarters in Merrillville, Indiana, has proudly served the energy needs of northern Indiana for more than 100 years. As Indiana’s largest natural gas distribution company and the second- largest electric distribution company, NIPSCO serves approximately 820,000 natural gas and 470,000 electric customers across 32 counties. NIPSCO is part of Nisource’s (NYSE: NI) six regulated utility companies. Nisource is one of the largest fully regulated utility companies in the United States, serving approximately 3.7 million natural gas and electric customers through its local Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands. More information about NIPSCO and Nisource is available at NIPSCO.COM and Nisource.com.