Missouri American Water Name Being Used in Check Scam

Fraudulent checks being mailed nationwide in envelopes branded to look like they came from company; customers encouraged to double-check authenticity of any checks received

The Missouri American Water name, logo and corporate address are being used in conjunction with a check-cashing scam, and the company wants to make the public aware.

Similar to the infamous “Nigerian Prince” email scam, a criminal has misappropriated the Missouri American Water name, logo and return address to legitimize a check-cashing scheme. Checks have been mailed nationwide in fake Missouri American Water-branded envelopes featuring the company’s logo and return address. Recipients then cash the checks, keep a small portion of the cash for themselves and relay the remainder back to the criminal. When the fraudulent check is discovered, the victim who cashed the check is held liable for the full value of the fraudulent check.

The company is working with federal law enforcement to investigate the ongoing crime and put a stop to it.

Anyone receiving an unexpected check from Missouri American Water is encouraged to contact the company at 866-430-0820 for more information and to verify authenticity.

Missouri American Water

Missouri American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.5 million people.

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly-traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,700 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in 47 states and Ontario, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170602005845/en/

Missouri American WaterBrian RussellCommunications ManagerT - 314-996-2239C - [e-mail]