February 2, 1999

MERRILLVILLE---Safety is very important to Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) and the company reminds residents to be aware of impersonators who identify themselves as employees of NIPSCO. Tuesday afternoon, LaPorte, Ind. police reported an incident involving an impersonator identifying himself as a NIPSCO employee.

All NIPSCO employees are issued a company photo identification card. Customers are advised to request to see the identification card before allowing anyone into their home. In addition, most company vehicles have the blue NIPSCO logo displayed on the front door or on some other visible part of the vehicle. The logo is also sewn onto employees’ shirts and hats.

If a resident suspects an impersonator or illegal activity, they should report the incident immediately to their local police department.

If a resident has doubts about someone who comes to their door claiming to be a NIPSCO employee, they should contact NIPSCO immediately using the toll-free customer service number, 1-800-4-NIPSCO (1-800-464-7726).

NIPSCO offers the following additional tips for residents to protect themselves from falling victim to a con-artist or other criminal:

• Ask for identification before allowing anyone into your home. All NIPSCO employees carry company-issued photo identification cards.
• If a NIPSCO employee comes to your house unannounced, it is most likely to warn you of a possible danger, such as a gas leak in the area, meter problems or downed power lines.
• Always investigate before investing money or signing any type of contract.
• Never give money to a stranger who offers you a once-in-a-lifetime deal.
• Entrust your home repair work to reputable companies.
• Report suspicious individuals to the police.
• Don’t be embarrassed to report you have been victimized or swindled.

NIPSCO, a subsidiary of NIPSCO Industries, Inc. (NI), provides natural gas and electricity to a population of approximately 2.2 million across the northern third of Indiana. With nearly 700,000 gas customers and 416,000 electric customers, NIPSCO is the largest natural gas distribution company, and the second largest electric distribution company, in the state of Indiana.

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