PIN numbers for added security

Your November and December MGE bill includes a PIN near the bottom of the bill. MGE’s customer-contact staff will ask for this PIN when receiving calls about your account.

During November and December, MGE customers received something new—a four-digit number that helps protect your utility account(s) from unauthorized access.

MGE issued each customer an added account identifier, a Personal Identification Number (PIN). The PIN was printed at the bottom of your utility bills during the November and December mail cycles.

Why? Identity theft is on the rise, and more federal legislation has been enacted to address that risk. More businesses—including utilities—are being asked to implement procedures to prevent, detect and mitigate identity theft.

"Most people who read about identity theft don't think about it affecting their utility accounts," said Kathy DeMets, MGE's senior director of Customer Services.

"However, the Federal Trade Commission reports that the number of identity theft complaints about phone, utility and bank accounts rank second only to credit card security complaints," she added.

"MGE's PIN is like the three-digit code that's been added to credit cards in recent years," DeMets observed.

Adding a PIN to everyone's account allows customers to identify themselves quickly.

This helps to ensure that MGE is releasing information appropriately to a business owner or an authorized employee.

Some examples of when the PIN will be requested during a contact with MGE include:

• Energy use details.
• Bill payment history.
• Change in mailing address.
• Starting or stopping service.

Not all customer calls need this level of security. Examples of when the PIN will not be requested:

• Emergency calls.
• General or public information.
• Energy advice or related information from our mailings or Web site.
• Service-related calls.

"MGE customer service representatives will only be requesting your PIN when you ask for a change in service or inquire about account information," DeMets said.

You can change your PIN by calling MGE's automated account information line at 608-252-4700.

Your energy use and billing information have always been treated as confidential. Using a PIN is an important additional step to maintain your security.

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