Beware of scammers

Watch out: Scammers may try to trick or scare you into giving them money by pretending to be from Minnesota Energy Resources. Don’t be a victim. If you think a scammer is targeting you, call us at 800-889-9508. If you fall victim to a scam, report the theft to your local police.

Beware of these common scams:

Phone scams

This is the most common scam. A caller may:

  • Pretend to be from Minnesota Energy Resources. They may even manipulate caller ID to display "Minnesota Energy Resources" or use a recording that sounds like it’s from us.
  • Threaten to turn off your natural gas in a short amount of time.
  • Demand immediate payment — often with a prepaid debit card, third-party digital payment app like Zelle or an unusual payment method such as bitcoin.

If you are ever in doubt about a phone call, hang up and call us.

Door-to-door scams

If someone comes to your door claiming to be from Minnesota Energy Resources, ask for identification. It’s not rude — it’s safe.

Here’s how to tell a real Minnesota Energy Resources employee or contractor from a fake one.

  • An employee or contractor will readily prove their identity. An imposter won’t.
  • An employee or contractor will wear a photo ID with their name and company logo.

When in doubt, close the door and call us so we can confirm our employee’s or contractor’s identity.

What you can do to stop scams

  • Don’t respond. If you have any doubts about a call, email or text message, follow your instincts. Hang up the phone on suspicious callers and ignore suspicious emails and texts. Call us and we can verify your payment status and check on your account anytime.
  • Get it in writing. We typically contact you several times via mail about past-due bills before service is shut off — not by a phone call the same day.
  • Know your options. We provide many payment options and never require use of a prepaid debit card or unusual payment method.
  • Report it. Contact local authorities and us to report a theft or attempted theft. If you gave the scammers money, also reach out to your bank, credit card company or third-party digital payment app to try to stop your money from being transferred.
  • Keep others safe. Share these tips with neighbors, family and friends.

Customer service: 800-889-9508