American Water Works : Local Utilities Raise Awareness of Utility Worker Imposters

February 21, 2017 Daphne Kirksey, External Affairs Manager daphne.kirksey@amwater.com

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When coming to a private residence or business to perform work, legitimate utility workers with Chattanooga Gas, EPB and Tennessee American Water always will wear a uniform with the company logo, present a photo ID badge and drive work vehicles that prominently display the company's name. Contractors working with these utilities will be able to identify themselves with company issued identification. Examples include a magnetic logo on their truck or a special company-issued badge for contractors.

"Chattanooga Gas wants its customers to be aware of all the scams that are out there," said Larry Buie, Chattanooga Gas regional director. "Each utility involved in this effort wants each customer to be armed with the facts so they know how to respond if faced with a scam."

Field employees with Tennessee American Water, Chattanooga Gas and EPB who are working at a home or business would not ask that a payment be made through them. Instead, they would direct customers to the appropriate payment phone number or authorized in-person payment locations.

"We are ultimately concerned for the safety of our customers," said Tennessee American Water President Valoria Armstrong. "We want them to recognize the difference between a legitimate utility worker and an impersonator so they can protect themselves."

Utility worker imposters may use tactics over the phone such as demanding immediate payment or payment via a pre-loaded credit card. Customers should be aware that Tennessee American Water, Chattanooga Gas and EPB customer service representatives would not ask customers in this manner. Customers should also be aware that some scammers are able to change the number on caller ID to appear as a legitimate phone call.

"We ask our customers to remain vigilant against utility imposters who use scare tactics and fraudulent attempts to solicit immediate payments with cash or debit cards," said EPB Chief Information and Security Officer David Johnson. "EPB does not demand payments with re- loadable debit cards to prevent immediate service disconnections, and we never use online pop-up messaging to solicit payments or to verify customer information."

Customers with any doubts of the legitimacy of a worker at their property or from a phone call should contact the appropriate utility as well as local law enforcement.

About Tennessee American Water

Tennessee American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water services to approximately 390,000 people in Tennessee and northern Georgia. With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly-traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,700 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in 47 states and Ontario, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.tennesseeamwater.com.

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About Chattanooga Gas

Chattanooga Gas is one of seven 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 64,000 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, please see www.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 4.5 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in seven states and more than 1 million retail customers through its companies that market natural gas and related home services. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate gas pipelines, asset management for natural gas wholesale customers and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit Southern Company Gas at southerncompanygas.com.

About EPB

Established as an independent board of the City of Chattanooga in 1935, EPB is a municipally-owned utility that provides electric power and fiber optic communications services as a means of promoting economic development and enhancing quality of life across the local area.

EPB serves more than 170,000 homes and businesses in a 600 square-mile area that includes greater Chattanooga, as well as parts of surrounding counties and areas of North Georgia.

In 2010, EPB became the first provider in the United States to deliver up to 1 Gig (1,000 mbps) internet speeds utilizing a community-wide fiber optic network that provides access to every home and business in its service area. In 2015, EPB became the first (and to date) only American ISP to make up to 10 Gig (10,000 mbps) internet speeds accessible to all of its residential and commercial customers as a standard offer.

EPB has also utilized its community-wide fiber optic network to deploy the most advanced and highly automated smart grid power management system in the nation. In recognition of EPB's groundbreaking infrastructure, the Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are utilizing EPB's smart grid as a national model for researching and developing best practices. EPB is also the first major power distribution utility to earn the USGBC's PEER certification for having a highly automated, modernized electric power grid. For more information, visit EPB.com