Ameren Illinois is releasing several tips to make sure customers are aware of scams being attempted throughout the state. Marcylyn [[ MAR-seh-lin ]] Love with Ameren Illinois says Ameren will never ask for any type of financial information or an immediate payment.

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Love says Ameren employees will never come to a residence without scheduling an appointment for a reported outage or leak.

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Over the holiday season, Ameren officials see an increased amount of scam artists who threaten disconnection of utility service unless a payment with a Green Dot Money Pak car or other pre-paid card is made immediately. Love says scammers are also mimicking voice recordings that appear to be from utilities to persuade customers to make quick payments. If you suspect some is impersonating a Ameren employee, end the conversation immediately and call Ameren Illinois at 1-800-755-5000.