In the wake of a recent scam targeting businesses, con men are now sending emails to Ameren customer demanding immediate payment for unpaid utility bills.

The emails are made to appear as if they are from Ameren and request payment of a purported unpaid bill. The email also instructs recipients to open a virus-infected attachment.

The emails have requested payment of between $432 and $439, Ameren spokesman Brian Bretsch said.

If a person contacts you claiming to be from Ameren, ask for a name and phone number, Bretsch said. Hang up and call Ameren Illinois at 800.755.5000 or Ameren Missouri at 800.552.7583.

Ameren has received calls from residents of several states, including Missouri and Illinois, who have been targeted in the scam. Other utilities throughout the country have reported experiencing a similar email scam.

“Ameren is investigating the situation and working to resolve the issue,” says Tim Reagan, director of Security at Ameren. “If anyone receives this type of email, they should not open any attachments, and should delete the email message immediately.” Reagan added that unless specific information has been requested by a customer, Ameren does not include attachments in its customer emails.

Ameren reminds customers to never give personal or financial information to anyone who calls, sends an email or comes to their homes unannounced.

Customers with concerns about their accounts should call Ameren Missouri at 800.552.7583 or Ameren Illinois at 800.755.5000.