Over 5,600 scam reports have been recorded in 2025 across Duke Energy’s service areas, with nearly 3,000 of those reports coming from the Carolinas through October. Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, and the Better Business Bureau are collaborating with Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS) to mark the 10th annual Utility Scam Awareness Day on November 19. The initiative aims to help customers protect themselves by slowing down, verifying information, and reporting suspicious activity.
Customers are encouraged to pause if they receive urgent or suspicious payment requests and use only official contact details found on their bills or company websites for verification. They can report scams using Duke Energy’s Scam Reporting Tool, the Piedmont Natural Gas scams page, or the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker.
Duke Energy emphasizes that it will never threaten immediate service disconnection or specify how a customer must pay. The company also does not accept prepaid cards or cryptocurrency as payment methods. Scammers may impersonate utility representatives or offer false refunds in exchange for personal information.
Jessica Bishop, senior vice president of Customer Services Operations at Duke Energy, stated: “Scammers change scripts; our guidance doesn’t: We don’t threaten instant shutoff, and we don’t dictate how you pay. If you hear either, stop and verify with us directly.”
Brian Weisker, senior vice president and president of Piedmont Natural Gas at Duke Energy, added: “Our promise is simple: clear natural gas bills, secure payment channels, and support when something feels off. We urge everyone to stay vigilant, verify before you pay, and contact us right away whenever concerns arise.”
Juliana O’Rork of the Better Business Bureau noted: “Scammers are willing to try anything to steal your money and/or your identity. Pressure, secrecy and odd payment methods are the tells. At BBB, we strive to provide consumers and businesses with as much information as possible about scams that have been reported to us via BBB Scam Tracker.”
Utilities United Against Scams is a consortium comprising over 150 utilities in the U.S. and Canada focused on sharing data and best practices for customer protection.
Duke Energy serves approximately 8.6 million electric customers across six states—North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky—and operates a significant energy capacity portfolio while investing in grid upgrades and cleaner generation technologies such as renewables and energy storage.
Piedmont Natural Gas distributes natural gas to more than 1.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
The Better Business Bureau has provided consumer resources for over a century through its business profiles and charity reports accessible at BBB.org.
More information about scam prevention is available on Duke Energy’s scam awareness page as well as through the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker tool.
