TIO Networks data compromise potentially affects some Duke Energy customers

Duke Energy Carolinas customers who paid a bill at one of the company’s 550 authorized walk-in payment processing centers between 2008 and 2017 may be affected by a potential compromise of personally identifiable information, according to PayPal Holdings, who recently acquired TIO Networks, which is the company who owns the network used to process payments made at those locations.

TIO Networks will begin notifying anyone whose information they believe may be included in the potential compromise, including approximately 374,000 Duke Energy Carolinas customers, who may be affected. The letter will come directly from TIO Networks and will include detailed questions and answers and a phone number for additional information.

This issue only affects customers who paid by check or cash at an authorized walk-in payment processing center, and not customers who paid via credit card or another form of payment. The personally identifiable information that may have been compromised includes, name, address, Duke Energy account number and balance, and banking information, if a customer paid by check.

Duke Energy Carolinas customers can continue to make payments in person at any Western Union location — an agreement that Duke Energy established shortly after TIO Networks suspended the payment system — or can pay by check, debit or credit card online at www.duke-energy.com or by calling 800-777-9898, select option 2 for “billing and payments,” then option 1 to make a payment.

Customers who believe they may be impacted or have questions should visit http://tionetworks.com/ for more information.

Duke Energy
 
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is one of the largest energy holding companies in the United States. Its Electric Utilities and Infrastructure business unit serves approximately 7.5 million customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest. The company’s Gas Utilities and Infrastructure business unit distributes natural gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its Commercial Renewables business unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across the United States.