Officials with Columbus City Utilities want you to be aware of recent attempts to scam some of its customers.

The company says that there have been two reports of customers being contacted over the past few days by an individual identifying himself as a Columbus City Utilities employee. This person is reportedly telling his targets that the customer’s water will be turned off if they do not pay him immediately.

Columbus City Utilities officials stress that they do not contact customers in person when trying to collect payment for their bill. They add that the utilities’ field crews are not authorized to accept payments from customers. All payments must be made through the Columbus City Utilities’ business office, or through its website.

Officials say that the department does provide an automated notification system that allows for over the phone payment, but this system announces the customer’s account number and the exact amount that is past due. They add that all customers should verify each bit of information before using the system. If there are any doubts, or concerns, customers should call the main extension at (812) 372-8861 and follow the prompts to verify the amount owed and make any required payments.