NorthWestern Energy is reporting scam calls and text messages for customers in South Dakota, Nebraska and Montana.

Scammers are impersonating NorthWestern Energy representatives and demanding payments within the hour to avoid services being shut off.

If you receive a call, you should hang up immediately.

NorthWestern Energy released the following information:

Customers in South Dakota, Nebraska and Montana are reporting scam calls and text messages from imposters trying to steal money by threatening immediate service disconnection.

The scammers impersonate themselves as NorthWestern Energy representatives on the phone, use our company’s logo in text and other electronic messages and NorthWestern Energy’s phone greeting.

Generally, the scammers demand a payment within an hour to avoid service shut off.

NorthWestern Energy never demands immediate payment or a specific payment type, such as a prepaid card or at kiosk machines that accept cash payments, such as bitcoin ATMs. At this time, NorthWestern Energy does not use QR codes to request or process payments. Customers receive multiple disconnection notices before service is shut off and are offered several bill payment options.

Do not engage with scammers. Hang up immediately.

NorthWestern Energy works with our industry peers to shut down phone numbers used by scammers and has reported this activity to the Federal Trade Commission.

For more information on how to avoid being the victim of a scam, or to report a scam, go to NorthWesternEnergy.com/ScamAlert or call Montana customers can call 888-467-2669 and Nebraska and South Dakota customers can call 800-245-6977.