Protect yourself and your loved ones from costly utility scams by teaming up with Minnesota Energy Resources and law enforcement agencies across the state.

Today, Oct. 19, Minnesota Energy Resources is partnering with police and sheriff’s departments across Minnesota to share the warning signs of utility scams on social media. The goal is to flood newsfeeds with this important information — and keep anyone else from falling victim.

Pay attention to these red flags

Scammers are relentless. They may:

  • Pretend to be from Minnesota Energy Resources by spoofing caller ID to display “Minnesota Energy Resources” or using a recording that sounds authentic.
  • Threaten to turn off your energy in a short amount of time.
  • Demand immediate payment — often with a prepaid debit card, third-party digital payment app like Zelle or Venmo, or an unusual payment method such as cryptocurrency.
  • Buy sponsored posts on search engines with Minnesota Energy Resources’ name. Be careful — scammers use these to get you to call a fake phone number and share sensitive information with them.

If you think a scammer is targeting you, hang up! It’s not rude; it’s safe.

What you can do

Call Minnesota Energy Resources at 800-889-9508 if you have questions about a call, email or text you’ve received. Contact your local law enforcement if you’ve fallen victim to a scam.

Share our scam awareness message on X (formerly known as Twitter) and Facebook to join the effort.

For more warning signs, visit the Minnesota Energy Resources website.