This Fall, Refresh Your Cybersecurity Habits

  As the leaves begin to change and we settle into the routines of fall, it’s a good time to take stock of a few things around the house—preparing for cooler weather, checking our heating systems and getting ready for the months ahead. It’s also a good time to refresh our cybersecurity habits.

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, but protecting your personal information is something that deserves attention all year long. At CHEC, cybersecurity is a critical part of providing safe, reliable electric service. While much of our focus is on protecting the physical systems that operate the electric grid, we also work to protect the systems and information that help us serve you—including online accounts, payment systems, member portals and outage communications.

Unfortunately, scammers are becoming more sophisticated. Artificial intelligence (AI) is making it easier for cyber criminals to create convincing emails, text messages, websites and even voice messages that can look and sound legitimate. The FBI has warned that generative AI can make fraudulent schemes more believable by eliminating many of the errors that once helped us identify a scam. That matters when it comes to utility scams.

A scammer may impersonate CHEC and claim your account is past due, your service is about to be disconnected or you need to make an immediate payment. The message might even include our logo, use professional-looking language or direct you to a website that appears legitimate. 

If you receive an unexpected message claiming to be from CHEC that creates a sense of urgency or threatens immediate disconnection, take a moment to verify it. Don’t click the link or call the phone number provided in the message. Instead, contact CHEC directly using our trusted methods. You can reach us by phone at (800)454-5616; through our website chat at chec.coop; or by email at info@chec.coop. 

CHEC is committed to protecting the systems that help us deliver your electricity and serve our members. You can help by protecting your own account, slowing down when something seems urgent and contacting us directly when you’re unsure.