PLAINFIELD, Ind. – Duke Energy is notifying customers in Indiana that some monthly payments were reported as “late” to the National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange (NCTUE).
NCTUE is a consumer reporting agency that maintains customer payment and account history data that can be used by member and non-member companies in credit-related decisions.
The mistake impacts potentially 500,000 in multiple states and approximately 205,000 current and former customers in Indiana.
Additionally, payment data for about 5,000 nonresidential customers on payment plans may have been reported incorrectly to Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) and Equifax Commercial Services (ECS).
Company officials say the information was not reported to the three major credit agencies.
The company no longer reports payment data to NCTUE, D&B or ECS. All information previously reported to NCTUE has been blocked and can no longer be used by others for credit-related decisions; the company has taken similar steps with information reported to D&B and ECS.
Duke Energy is in the process of contacting impacted consumers through the month of October.
Any customer who does not receive a letter from Duke Energy by Oct. 31, 2014, and believes he or she may have been affected should call the company’s hotline at (800) 265-6515.
Key facts about the Midwest payment reporting error:
- This error is not a data breach.
- Duke Energy did not report incorrect account history information to any of the major credit reporting agencies – Experian, TransUnion or Equifax.
- Duke Energy accounts have been billed correctly.
- Data previously reported to NCTUE has been blocked and can no longer be used. Similar steps have been taken with D&B and ECS.
- Any customer who does not receive a letter from Duke Energy by Oct. 31, 2014, and believes he or she may have been affected should call Duke Energy at 800-265-6515.
