Tag: 3BL

Written by Erin Gallegos |Corporate Responsibility Manager

Gen Blog | Community

Technology abuse is an increasingly common part of domestic violence. Many abusers use technology like stalkerware to track their partners’ device activity, location and movements, email and online messages, and browsing histories. Intimate partner violence often involves financial abuse, in which abusers steal their partner’s identity, improperly access online accounts or ruin their credit scores. There is a critical need to ensure survivors and advocates understand tech-facilitated abuse, its impact and how to identify it. They also need digital tools that can help.

Providing Free Products to Domestic Violence Survivors 

Our product donation initiative is dedicated to providing survivors with the information and tools to help them lead their online lives safely and confidently.

Through this unique program, Norton, a part of Gen, is donating up to 5,000 free product licenses to survivors of domestic violence to help them recover from financial or technological abuse. These licenses will be distributed by eligible organizations that are members of the Safe Shelter Collaborative and TechSoup will help facilitate the donations, for which organizations can apply online.

Norton 360 Deluxe, one of the products offered through the new donation program, can prevent activity or location tracking, information theft, installation of malicious programs and uninvited changes to devices. We are also offering Norton Secure VPN as a standalone product, which protects a person’s online privacy by hiding the computer’s address from websites visited from any device. Eligible organizations may request up to 100 licenses of each product, which then must be distributed to survivors of domestic abuse.

The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) is another nonprofit partner of ours – which represents the 56 U.S. state and territorial domestic violence coalitions, who in turn represent more than 2,000 local programs and the millions of survivors they serve annually – also collaborated on the new pilot program.

Learning Good Cyber Hygiene 

According to Armin Waiscek, Senior Research Manager at Gen, good cyber hygiene is diligence, care and human judgment, and it’s an important part of an online safety plan. “Security software is extremely important, as is education on Cyber Safety awareness. This involves day-to-day vigilance and learning how to spot the signs that someone has access to, or is trying to access your online accounts, devices or location.”

Waiscek offered tips on how important cyber hygiene is to domestic violence survivors. “Through our work with NNEDV, we have learned survivors often need help to secure their digital assets, remove or stop using shared accounts, and create accounts on clean devices that haven’t been accessed by their abusers,” he said.

Here are a few suggestions to improve cyber hygiene:

Create a list of all platforms, systems and devices that are in use.Change passwords to all accounts or create new accounts.Update any online accounts that are accessible through Facebook, Google, Twitter, or Apple ID log-ins.Use unique passwords that exclude personally identifiable information (i.e., birthdays, names, pet names, etc.).Utilize a (new) password manager to track passwords and to create strong, unique passwords

Maximizing Our Social Impact 

This pilot program exemplifies our continued large-scale effort to align our volunteering, giving and product donation programs for maximum impact. In addition to this program, we have provided training and technical assistance to NNEDV for years. We also announced a $100,000 grant each year (2022-2024) to NNEDV to support the organization’s Safety Net technology abuse response initiative, as well as its Economic Justice program. We are also a founding member of the Coalition Against Stalkerware, which was formed to help keep malicious technology like stalkerware and creepware out of the hands of abusers.

To learn more, visit the new donation program landing page.

Written by Erin Gallegos |Corporate Responsibility Manager

Gen Blog | Community

Technology abuse is an increasingly common part of domestic violence. Many abusers use technology like stalkerware to track their partners’ device activity, location and movements, email and online messages, and browsing histories. Intimate partner violence often involves financial abuse, in which abusers steal their partner’s identity, improperly access online accounts or ruin their credit scores. There is a critical need to ensure survivors and advocates understand tech-facilitated abuse, its impact and how to identify it. They also need digital tools that can help.

Providing Free Products to Domestic Violence Survivors 

Our product donation initiative is dedicated to providing survivors with the information and tools to help them lead their online lives safely and confidently.

Through this unique program, Norton, a part of Gen, is donating up to 5,000 free product licenses to survivors of domestic violence to help them recover from financial or technological abuse. These licenses will be distributed by eligible organizations that are members of the Safe Shelter Collaborative and TechSoup will help facilitate the donations, for which organizations can apply online.

Norton 360 Deluxe, one of the products offered through the new donation program, can prevent activity or location tracking, information theft, installation of malicious programs and uninvited changes to devices. We are also offering Norton Secure VPN as a standalone product, which protects a person’s online privacy by hiding the computer’s address from websites visited from any device. Eligible organizations may request up to 100 licenses of each product, which then must be distributed to survivors of domestic abuse.

The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) is another nonprofit partner of ours – which represents the 56 U.S. state and territorial domestic violence coalitions, who in turn represent more than 2,000 local programs and the millions of survivors they serve annually – also collaborated on the new pilot program.

Learning Good Cyber Hygiene 

According to Armin Waiscek, Senior Research Manager at Gen, good cyber hygiene is diligence, care and human judgment, and it’s an important part of an online safety plan. “Security software is extremely important, as is education on Cyber Safety awareness. This involves day-to-day vigilance and learning how to spot the signs that someone has access to, or is trying to access your online accounts, devices or location.”

Waiscek offered tips on how important cyber hygiene is to domestic violence survivors. “Through our work with NNEDV, we have learned survivors often need help to secure their digital assets, remove or stop using shared accounts, and create accounts on clean devices that haven’t been accessed by their abusers,” he said.

Here are a few suggestions to improve cyber hygiene:

Create a list of all platforms, systems and devices that are in use.Change passwords to all accounts or create new accounts.Update any online accounts that are accessible through Facebook, Google, Twitter, or Apple ID log-ins.Use unique passwords that exclude personally identifiable information (i.e., birthdays, names, pet names, etc.).Utilize a (new) password manager to track passwords and to create strong, unique passwords

Maximizing Our Social Impact 

This pilot program exemplifies our continued large-scale effort to align our volunteering, giving and product donation programs for maximum impact. In addition to this program, we have provided training and technical assistance to NNEDV for years. We also announced a $100,000 grant each year (2022-2024) to NNEDV to support the organization’s Safety Net technology abuse response initiative, as well as its Economic Justice program. We are also a founding member of the Coalition Against Stalkerware, which was formed to help keep malicious technology like stalkerware and creepware out of the hands of abusers.

To learn more, visit the new donation program landing page.

November 20, 2024 /3BL/ – Ceres released comprehensive guidance to help the U.S. insurance industry reimagine its future in a climate-changing world, offering a clear roadmap for maintaining insurance availability, affordability and the industry’s long-term health amid escalating and costly climate disasters.

The severity and frequency of record-breaking hurricanes, wildfires, and other unnatural catastrophes continues to destroy entire communities and economies. The U.S. faced $92 billion in economic damages in 2023, and 2024, already predicted to be the warmest on record, faces $100 billion in losses, with Hurricanes Milton and Helene expected to cost more than $50 billion each. This has caused insurers to retreat from high-risk markets and raise insurance premiums.

Ceres 10-Point Plan for the Insurance Industry presents a new vision for how insurance can navigate this reality, issuing a set of recommendations for insurance companies, regulators, and other industry stakeholders, including investors and governments. Ceres’ plan addresses the multifaceted approach needed from insurers and regulators to address increasing climate risks and build a more resilient and sustainable insurance sector.

“The insurance industry stands at a critical crossroads,” Jaclyn de Meddici Bruneau, Director of Insurance at Ceres. “By leveraging their deep risk management and economic influence, insurers and regulators can and must do more to adapt to our increasingly changing climate. Our 10-point plan offers a clear path for their longevity and growth while strengthening the communities they serve with actions to help improve climate mitigation and resilience.”

Ceres’ 10-point plan calls for:

Supporting Mandatory Climate Risk Disclosure: Require medium and large businesses to report climate risks and mitigation strategies.Utilizing Predictive Climate Modeling and AI Integration: Integrate AI and real-time climate data to improve risk assessment and pricing accuracy.Supporting Innovative Insurance Products: Develop parametric insurance and emerging financial instruments that can provide faster, more flexible coverage.Incentivizing Climate Mitigation Efforts: Offer premium discounts for properties and businesses implementing climate resilience measures.Incorporating Climate-Adjusted Pricing Models: Create flexible, forward-looking pricing strategies that account for long-term climate projections.Considering a Federal Climate Risk Reinsurance Program Form a commission to evaluate the feasibility of a federal reinsurance program to provide stability during unprecedented climate catastrophes.Implementing Climate Transition Action Plans: Adopt, publish, and implement a transition plan detailing your decarbonization strategies.Updating Climate-Resilient Building Codes: Work with state and local officials to implement strict, regionally tailored construction standards.Fostering Equity and Accessibility Measures: Develop targeted programs to ensure insurance coverage for vulnerable communities.Leveraging Insurers as Investors: Leverage the industry’s $8 trillion in assets to support climate transition and resilience.

Ceres has issued a number of reports on the insurance industry and its response to a changing climate. Earlier this year Ceres released, Navigating Climate Risks: Progress and Challenges in U.S. Insurance Sector Disclosures, analyzing the insurance industry’s annual climate-related financial risk disclosures. In 2023, Ceres, in partnership with the California Department of Insurance and Manifest Climate, released the first systematic review of U.S. insurance companies’ climate risk strategies.

About Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets 

The Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets is center within Ceres that aims to transform the practices and policies that govern capital markets by engaging federal and state regulators, financial institutions, investors, and corporate boards to act on climate change as a systemic financial risk. For more information, visit ceres.org/accelerator.

November 20, 2024 /3BL/ – Ceres released comprehensive guidance to help the U.S. insurance industry reimagine its future in a climate-changing world, offering a clear roadmap for maintaining insurance availability, affordability and the industry’s long-term health amid escalating and costly climate disasters.

The severity and frequency of record-breaking hurricanes, wildfires, and other unnatural catastrophes continues to destroy entire communities and economies. The U.S. faced $92 billion in economic damages in 2023, and 2024, already predicted to be the warmest on record, faces $100 billion in losses, with Hurricanes Milton and Helene expected to cost more than $50 billion each. This has caused insurers to retreat from high-risk markets and raise insurance premiums.

Ceres 10-Point Plan for the Insurance Industry presents a new vision for how insurance can navigate this reality, issuing a set of recommendations for insurance companies, regulators, and other industry stakeholders, including investors and governments. Ceres’ plan addresses the multifaceted approach needed from insurers and regulators to address increasing climate risks and build a more resilient and sustainable insurance sector.

“The insurance industry stands at a critical crossroads,” Jaclyn de Meddici Bruneau, Director of Insurance at Ceres. “By leveraging their deep risk management and economic influence, insurers and regulators can and must do more to adapt to our increasingly changing climate. Our 10-point plan offers a clear path for their longevity and growth while strengthening the communities they serve with actions to help improve climate mitigation and resilience.”

Ceres’ 10-point plan calls for:

Supporting Mandatory Climate Risk Disclosure: Require medium and large businesses to report climate risks and mitigation strategies.Utilizing Predictive Climate Modeling and AI Integration: Integrate AI and real-time climate data to improve risk assessment and pricing accuracy.Supporting Innovative Insurance Products: Develop parametric insurance and emerging financial instruments that can provide faster, more flexible coverage.Incentivizing Climate Mitigation Efforts: Offer premium discounts for properties and businesses implementing climate resilience measures.Incorporating Climate-Adjusted Pricing Models: Create flexible, forward-looking pricing strategies that account for long-term climate projections.Considering a Federal Climate Risk Reinsurance Program Form a commission to evaluate the feasibility of a federal reinsurance program to provide stability during unprecedented climate catastrophes.Implementing Climate Transition Action Plans: Adopt, publish, and implement a transition plan detailing your decarbonization strategies.Updating Climate-Resilient Building Codes: Work with state and local officials to implement strict, regionally tailored construction standards.Fostering Equity and Accessibility Measures: Develop targeted programs to ensure insurance coverage for vulnerable communities.Leveraging Insurers as Investors: Leverage the industry’s $8 trillion in assets to support climate transition and resilience.

Ceres has issued a number of reports on the insurance industry and its response to a changing climate. Earlier this year Ceres released, Navigating Climate Risks: Progress and Challenges in U.S. Insurance Sector Disclosures, analyzing the insurance industry’s annual climate-related financial risk disclosures. In 2023, Ceres, in partnership with the California Department of Insurance and Manifest Climate, released the first systematic review of U.S. insurance companies’ climate risk strategies.

About Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets 

The Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets is center within Ceres that aims to transform the practices and policies that govern capital markets by engaging federal and state regulators, financial institutions, investors, and corporate boards to act on climate change as a systemic financial risk. For more information, visit ceres.org/accelerator.

Written by Kim Allman | Head of Corporate Responsibility and Public Policy

Gen Blog | Community

Technology is evolving at such a rapid pace that it can feel difficult to keep up with how to stay safe online. As we discussed in our most recent Threat Report, the threat landscape is accelerating quickly. But it’s important to remember that there are simple, effective ways to reduce our exposure to digital dangers and make our time online more secure. That’s what this year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month is all about.

Every October, Cybersecurity Awareness Month educates people all over the world about online safety and empowers them to protect their data from cybercrime. Companies, nonprofits, government agencies and more come together to raise awareness of common and emerging cyber threats, as well as the steps we can take to keep our personal information out of harm’s way.

Simple Steps to ‘Secure Our World’

This year’s theme for Cybersecurity Awareness Month is “Secure Our World,” focusing on the top four ways to protect yourself, your family and your business from online threats. These include:

Using strong passwords and a password managerTurning on multi-factor authenticationRecognizing and reporting phishingUpdating software

Password security is also about more than choosing the right combination of letters and numbers. Petra Dlabalová is an alum of one of the training programs at Czechitas, an organization helping women in Czechia build digital skills and transition into the tech industry. Petra reminds us that threats to our passwords can emerge in the physical world, as well.

To learn more about how to protect yourself, your family and your business online this Cybersecurity Awareness Month, check out blog posts on two-factor authentication, spotting phishing, identity theft and data privacy from Norton, LifeLock and Avast three of our trusted Cyber Safety brands.

Diversifying the Cybersecurity Workforce

One of the ways we make sure that Cyber Safety skills are in the hands of as many people as possible is by promoting women in tech. Czechitas is just one example of the leading global nonprofits we partner with to expand Cyber Safety education. We also work closely with Women4Cyber, with whom we recently pledged to help close the gender gap in Europe’s cybersecurity industry through extended support of their mentoring programs.

Nikola Groverová, Senior Data Scientist, recently joined a panel on AI at the second annual Women4Cyber Conference at the Louwman Museum in The Hague, a prominent hub for cybersecurity expertise.

We also partner year-round with nasscom foundation, an organization doing similar work across India, including in rural communities. We recently heard from Chandana and Meghna Nerella, twin sisters who completed nasscom foundation’s Upskilling Women Engineers in Cybersecurity program, supported by Gen. They spoke about not only the impact of the program but also the core themes of Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

“The Cybersecurity Program has been a turning point for both of us,” they said.

For more information on our Cyber Safety education and training efforts, read our 2024 Social Impact Report.

CASE Construction Equipment, a brand of CNH, is providing essential support in the wake of Hurricane Helene and Milton’s devastating impact to the southeastern region of the U.S.

Equipment such as compact track loaders with grapple attachments, wheel loaders and crawler excavators have been sent to help Team Rubicon with the heavy-duty work of clearing trees, mud and debris.

As part of a recently launched CNH Disaster Response program, CASE is dedicating six compact track loaders with grapple attachments as a fleet that will be devoted to Team Rubicon efforts. The CNH Disaster Response program is a new effort designed to quickly deploy equipment to disaster-stricken communities.

In addition, CASE is deploying equipment to communities in need through its extensive dealer network. To date, CASE and the CASE dealer network have loaned 10 machines to the effort and is in daily communication with Team Rubicon to address needs as they arise.

“Building communities, and rebuilding them when disaster strikes, is core to what we do at CASE,” said Terry Dolan, Vice President — North America, CASE Construction Equipment.

When it comes to disaster response, volunteers from the veteran-led nonprofit Team Rubicon are some of the first to arrive. Also known as “Greyshirts,” Team Rubicon volunteers include sawyers and heavy equipment operators who clear trees and debris from roads so emergency crews can access impacted communities.

“Hurricanes Helene and Milton definitely created a tremendous amount of need,” said Jeff Byard, Vice President of Operations, Team Rubicon. “We’ve already served 45+ communities across five states and have multiple response operations in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. Our strengths as an organization are our deep ties within local communities and the nationwide network of Greyshirt volunteers who provide no-cost services to better the lives of disaster survivors.”

In addition to deploying machinery for use during disasters, CNH and its charitable foundation over the years have supported Team Rubicon’s mission by providing financial support. Also, CASE and the CASE dealer network have made space available to execute critical heavy equipment operating training for Team Rubicon volunteers. In the past two years, CASE has expanded training support from one to nine locations across the U.S. and Canada.

For more information about how CASE Construction Equipment and CNH support Team Rubicon, visit Team Rubicon | CASE Construction Equipment (casece.com). To donate to Team Rubicon’s Hurricane Helene relief efforts, visit https://donate.teamrubiconusa.org/donation/helene24.

Southwire’s Cofer Technology Center, a hub for Research & Development (R&D) initiatives, installed an innovative heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system using geothermal heat pump technology.

Since becoming fully operational in November of 2023, the system has enabled significant energy and cost savings for the Cofer Technology Center, resulting in an approximately 40 % decrease in electricity consumption for the whole building.

“Southwire’s R&D initiatives are at the forefront of innovation,” said Axel Schlumberger, Senior Vice President of Research & Development. “As we invest in the development of products that support renewable energy, electric vehicles and more, we equally strive to showcase sustainable innovation throughout our facility.”

For most areas in the United States, soil temperatures are usually warmer than the air in winter and cooler than the air in summer. Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of these underground temperatures to efficiently heat buildings in the winter and cool buildings in the summer.

With the new system installed, the Cofer Technology Center uses 40% less heating/cooling capacity than it used before. In addition, the former system relied on energy-intensive resistance heaters. Many of these resistance heaters have since been removed, further reducing the building’s monthly power bill.

The closed-loop piping system connects 67 wells in a central location where water is piped throughout the building to each air handler, then back into the well field where the heat is transferred 400 feet into the ground below.

Southwire recently announced an expansion of the Cofer Technology Center, which showcases the company’s commitment to product innovation and sustainability. The expansion was designed with LEED certification in mind as well as a focus on engineering with sustainable components.

To learn more about Southwire’s sustainability initiatives, visit https://www.southwire.com/sustainability.

Action Against Hunger, a global leader in the fight to end hunger, is honored to accept two Silver Anthem Awards, which highlight the purpose and mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide. Selected from more than 2,300 entries and more than 34 countries, Action Against Hunger was recognized for the REact: Renewable Energies for Assisting Communities Tool and for our Severe Acute Malnutrition Relapse Research.

The REact Tool is a new non-cost tool to help the nonprofit sector decarbonize emergency response programs. REact is the first tool of its kind and was developed by Action Against Hunger with input from 40 NGOs and UN agencies.

The Severe Acute Malnutrition Relapse Research reflects groundbreaking research into ways to prevent relapse among children treated for acute malnutrition. This first-of-its-kind study provided valuable new insights that could save lives by improving the long-term impact of aid budgets.

Action Against Hunger was also a finalist for We Hack Hunger in the category Humanitarian Action & Services – Community Engagement. This project uses technology to create an early warning system for hunger and to prevent it by providing solidarity aid cards to unemployed people who participate in employment and entrepreneurship programs.

Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards honors the purpose and mission-driven work of people and organizations worldwide across seven core issues. The Awards were founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF and XQ.

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Action Against Hunger, a global leader in the fight to end hunger, is honored to accept two Silver Anthem Awards, which highlight the purpose and mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide. Selected from more than 2,300 entries and more than 34 countries, Action Against Hunger was recognized for the REact: Renewable Energies for Assisting Communities Tool and for our Severe Acute Malnutrition Relapse Research.

The REact Tool is a new non-cost tool to help the nonprofit sector decarbonize emergency response programs. REact is the first tool of its kind and was developed by Action Against Hunger with input from 40 NGOs and UN agencies.

The Severe Acute Malnutrition Relapse Research reflects groundbreaking research into ways to prevent relapse among children treated for acute malnutrition. This first-of-its-kind study provided valuable new insights that could save lives by improving the long-term impact of aid budgets.

Action Against Hunger was also a finalist for We Hack Hunger in the category Humanitarian Action & Services – Community Engagement. This project uses technology to create an early warning system for hunger and to prevent it by providing solidarity aid cards to unemployed people who participate in employment and entrepreneurship programs.

Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards honors the purpose and mission-driven work of people and organizations worldwide across seven core issues. The Awards were founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF and XQ.

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Entergy joins Utilities United Against Scams this week to support International Fraud Awareness Week and to recognize the ninth annual Utility Scam Awareness Day on Wednesday, November 20. Utility Scam Awareness Day is an advocacy and awareness campaign focused on educating customers and exposing scammer tactics.

For years, scammers have posed as utility workers and attempted to steal financial information or obtain immediate payment from customers by threatening service interruptions. These utility impostor scams represent real financial loss for customers. In 2023, the Better Business Bureau reported that the median loss to customers who fell victim to utility scams as $463. To avoid losses, customers are encouraged to be familiar with the most common impostor utility scams.

Disconnection deception

Scammers call threatening disconnection of your utility service, demanding immediate payment by prepaid cards purchased at a local retail store (or credit card, debit card, bank draft, wiring money, etc.), and insisting you call them back with the card information to make payment. Entergy will send you one or more disconnection notices in the mail before disconnecting or shutting off your utility service, and we offer several bill payment options without specifying the type of payment you need to make.

Bill payment or credit con

Scammers may provide you with a phony account routing number for you to use to pay your utility bills, receive a credit, or obtain federal assistance. In exchange for personal information that can be used for identity theft, you may get a payment account number. If the number is entered during an online transaction, it may appear that your bill is paid, but no funds are actually paid to the utility, the account balance remains due, and you may be charged a returned payment fee by your utility.

Equipment or repair bogus fee

Scammers call demanding a separate payment to replace or install a utility-related device or meter. If a utility needs to upgrade or replace a piece of equipment, Entergy will contact you ahead of time as a courtesy. If there is a charge related to work on equipment you might own, it will typically be included in your monthly bill.

Overpayment trick

Scammers call claiming you have overpaid your utility bill, and you need to provide personal bank account information or a credit card number to facilitate a refund. Entergy will usually apply any overpayments you have made to your utility account, allowing the credit balance to cover any future charges, or refund any overpayment by mailing a check.

Power restoration rip off

Scammers call offering to restore power quickly or in a preferential order for immediate payment or an upfront “reconnection fee,” typically in the aftermath of hurricanes and other severe storms causing widespread power outages. Entergy does not require payment to restore electricity after a natural disaster or other related outage.

Going phishing with smishing, vishing and quishing scams

Phishing occurs when scammers send potential victims an email to convince the recipient to transfer money, send a password or provide other personal data. While customers have learned to open emails with caution, they may not be familiar with the latest versions of these phishing attempts.

Smishing, short for SMS phishing, attempts to trick mobile phone users into giving scammers personal information, which can be used for identity theft, via a text or SMS message. Scammers like smishing, as consumers tend to be more inclined to trust text messages. Utility companies typically do not text you unless you have signed up for a specific notification service offered by your utility.

Vishing, or voice phishing, is a type of phishing attack where scammers use phone calls to trick individuals into revealing personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers, by pretending to be a legitimate entity. This type of scam can be executed by real humans or via pre-recorded robocalls.

Quishing, or QR code phishing, is a relatively new scam where fraudsters have covered legitimate QR codes with their own to guide users to websites designed to steal personal information. For utility customers, if you are presented with a QR code in situations where payment is being requested always exercise caution and make sure you are using only Entergy-approved payment methods to complete transactions.

Contractor con

Scammers posing as utility workers or contractors affiliated with Entergy may knock on your door claiming to be employed or hired by us to reset, repair, replace, or inspect your utility meter or other utility-related device. If a utility employee or authorized contractor needs access to your home, an appointment will be scheduled in advance, and proper identification will be provided for your review.

Home improvement huckster

Scammers posing as utility workers may appear unannounced at your front door offering a free energy audit, efficiency inspection, or some other service. While Entergy does offer these types of programs to customers, these unsolicited intruders may be pitching unnecessary expensive products or attempting to steal items from you. Unless your Entergy has notified you in advance, or you initiated a request for such a service, exercise caution and do not let them into your home or business without verifying their identity.

Solar scammers

If you’re interested in solar panels, be careful when evaluating installation offers. Scammers use misleading sales tactics to trick homeowners out of money and personal information. There are reputable solar companies and contractors out there, but before accepting an unsolicited offer from a door-to-door salesperson, you should investigate the facts. Entergy does not partner with third-party solar companies for at-home solar solutions. While some Entergy contractors do perform solar work, they are prohibited from using their affiliation with Entergy to solicit solar business. Verify a salesperson’s identity by asking to see their badge or call us at 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) to speak with a customer service representative.

Bogus bills

Scammers send suspicious emails that appear to be a bill sent by your utility company, potentially featuring your utility’s logo and color scheme. Do not click on any links or attachments in any email unless you have verified the sender. You may be directed to a scam website designed to steal your personal information, or you might install malicious software onto your computer without ever knowing it. Utility companies typically send bills by mail, unless you have opted to receive your bill by email.

How to safely pay your Entergy bill

Customers should only use the following Entergy-approved payment methods with valid and authorized banking information to pay their bills:

Pay online (no fee) – For no additional charge, conveniently pay your bill online by electronic check. Log in securely to myEntergy to view and pay your bills.Pay by phone (fee) – Pay your bill by phone using a bank account, credit or debit card by calling 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) or calling SpeedPay directly at 1-888-822-0553. Our pay-by-phone provider will charge a $2.50 convenience fee with Speedpay. Speedpay is the only credit card or debit card vendors authorized to process these payments over the phone.Pay by credit/debit card (fee) – There are currently four approved options to pay your utility bill with a credit card or debit card.Pay online through our authorized credit or debit card vendor, Speedpay, for a $1.60 convenience fee. Access these sites by visiting myEntergy to ensure secure payment options.Pay by moBillsTM through your smartphone’s native wallet with Speedpay for a $1.60 convenience fee.Pay by Text for with your mobile phone with Speedpay for a $1.60 convenience fee. Receive a text message notification on your cell phone when your bill is ready. Simply reply to the text to pay your bill.Pay by phone through Speeday with a $2.50 convenience fee by calling 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749).Walk-in payment centers– Pay your utility bill in person with cash, check or money order at one of the authorized Quick Payment Centers in your community. A convenience fee may apply.Auto pay– Avoid late fees, writing checks and paying for postage by having your bill automatically deduct from your bank account when you enroll in AutoPay. We’ll provide a monthly billing statement to you for your records, showing the usage, bill amount and due date.Pay by mail– Simply mail in your monthly payment in the envelope provided with your bill. It’s fast, easy and one stamp is all it takes for your payment to reach us. Please note, you may see delays in payment processing through this option due. To reduce delays, always provide your Entergy bill stub with your check payment in the courtesy envelope provided.

Customers who suspect that they have been victims of fraud should contact Entergy by calling 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) Be sure to have all details and any supporting documents available to discuss the suspicious activity on your utility account with an Entergy representative. You should also contact the proper authorities, such as the local police, the state attorney general’s office, Better Business Bureau or Federal Trade Commission.

Visit entergy.com/scams for information and tips on how you can protect yourself from impostor utility scams.