FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2020
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Claudia Airey
(219) 617-8103

NIPSCO WARNS CUSTOMERS TO BE AWARE OF SCAMS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC


Merrillville, Ind. — Scams related to the COVID-19 pandemic are on the rise. Calls from scammers to homes and businesses posing as NIPSCO employees continue to occur —an issue impacting many energy companies around the United States.
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 demand immediate payment by meeting us in person or using a specific type of payment method. If a customer receives a suspicious call like this, they should hang up and immediately contact NIPSCO’s Customer Care Center at 1-800-464-7726 to check on the status of their account. Additionally, customers should NOT call any number they are given.
Because of the financial impact on customers associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, NIPSCO voluntarily suspended shutoffs for non-payment and waived late fees in mid-March, prior to the issuance of Governor Holcomb’s executive order. When the executive order expires, NIPSCO plans to continue suspending shutoffs for non-payment until further notice to provide additional help to customers who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We will provide advanced notice and communications following any changes to these decisions and we will continue to work with customers on our most flexible arrangements. Assistance is available and to learn more, please visit NIPSCO.com or you can speak with a representative.
Additional tips for customers to avoid potential scams
 Call us first – 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 1-800-464-7726.
 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/bills-and-payments .
 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, visit: NIPSCO.com/bills-and-payments .
About NIPSCO: Northern Indiana Public Service Company (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 835,000 natural gas and 473,000 electric customers across 32 counties. NIPSCO is part of NiSource’s (NYSE: NI) seven regulated utility companies. NiSource is one of the largest fully regulated utility companies in the United States, serving approximately 4 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.
###