NIPSCO is warning their customers to be cautious of scammers trying to take your money.

The company has received hundreds of cases of unknown callers claiming to be affiliated with NIPSCO and demanding payment through a prepaid card.

Some reports suggest the scammers have even appeared in person and knocked on doors.

Other reports indicate the company’s 1-800 customer service number was cloned to appear on caller IDs.

So that you don’t become a victim, NIPSCO has provided the following tips:

• Call them first – If you are not sure 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 numbers and 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. Learn more about our payment options at NIPSCO.com/billing-payment-options so you can spot a potential scam.
• Never agree to meet in person – Some scams ask customers to meet them in person to make payments with cash or prepaid cards, which you should avoid.

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.