Chattanooga Gas offers tips to protect customers on Utility Scam Awareness Day

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – November 15, 2023 – With utility scams on the rise, it is more important than ever for customers to know how to spot and protect themselves from these scams. Chattanooga Gas joins 130 U.S. and Canadian energy companies on Utility Scam Awareness Day - November 15, 2023 to raise awareness and to help educate customers.

Utility scams, often referred to as imposter scams, cost American consumers $2.6 billion in 2022**. Many natural gas, electric and water customers throughout the country are being targeted by impostor utility scams each day.

In recent years, scammers have gotten deceptively creative utilizing social media along with increased calls, texts, emails and in-person tactics, contacting electric and gas customers asking for immediate payment to avoid service disconnection.

Chattanooga Gas strongly encourages customers to stay vigilant of potential scam activity such as:

• Threats to disconnect their natural gas service if payment is not made.
• Requests that payments be made from a single method, such as a debit card, prepaid card, checking account, cryptocurrency or to send funds via a mobile app to make a bill payment.
• Claims they have overpaid, and their bank account or credit card number is needed for a refund.
• Requests to vacate their home so that a meter or other natural gas equipment can be replaced.
• Suggestions through social media that their bill will be covered by a charity after they make a partial payment by way of a wire transfer.

Chattanooga Gas also takes proactive measures to protect customers.

• Chattanooga Gas employees and contractors who visit customer homes or businesses will have Chattanooga Gas identification.
• Customers have the option of signing up to receive the company’s Keep Me Informed appointment status text messages can access a photo of the technician assigned to perform work at their property.

Customers who suspect or experience fraud should hang up, delete the email or shut the door, then immediately contact local authorities.

For more information, visit, www.chattanoogagas.com/fraudprotection

**Source: Federal Trade Commission

About Chattanooga Gas
Chattanooga Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Chattanooga Gas provides retail natural gas sales and transportation services to approximately 70,500 customers in Hamilton and Bradley counties in southeast Tennessee. The Chattanooga Gas service area includes the communities of Chattanooga, Cleveland, Red Bank, East Ridge, Lookout Mountain and Signal Mountain. For more information, visit chattanoogagas.com.

About Southern Company Gas
Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.4 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states with more than 600,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 23 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood

Media Contacts
Alicia Young
c: 770-658-9728
e: aliyoung@southernco.com   

Salvation Army of Greater Chattanooga
Eric Short
c: 502-777-6640
e: Eric.Short@uss.salvationarmy.org