The Illinois Commerce Commission is reminding utility customers in Illinois to beware of a scam in which someone claiming to be a utility employee asks for immediate payment of a bill either at a customer’s door, over the telephone or by email.  The ICC says it has received complaints from utility customers about scam artists claiming to be utility representatives, telling them their service will be disconnected unless payment is immediately made directly to the caller.  The scam artist may direct the consumer to purchase a prepaid credit card, a “Cash Card,” and to call them back with the personal identification number.  The stories have varied, in some the scammer tells the customer their billing cycle has changed and payment must be made immediately, other times they say that the account is past due and payment can be made to them directly to avoid disconnection of the utility service, or the customer’s previous payment was rejected or never received.  The scam has affected customers throughout the state, but a spike was recently noted for Ameren Illinois customers.  If you suspect you have been scammed, have a suspicious incident to report or have questions, contact the ICC’s Consumer Services Division at 1-800-524-0795.  You may also contact Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s Consumer Fraud Hotline at 1-800-386-5438 or file a complaint on her website at www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov.