Beware of Bill-Payment Scams – Always Verify Before You Pay
We continue to learn of fraudulent activities both nationwide and locally where our members are contacted and asked to pay current or past due charges. More often than not, these so called “payments” go directly to scammers. These contacts take place by email, phone, internet or even in person. Utility customers can be a convenient target for these scammers because unlike retail business customers, most everyone is a customer of an energy company and pays utility bills. Please take the following precautions to help avoid falling victim to a scam when paying your electric bill:
- Always type in our web address, www.ahec.coop, when making an online payment. Do not rely on email links or sites that claim to be login & bill pay. Unfortunately there are websites that look as though they are affiliated with Atchison-Holt and even have our website images. Some will actually submit your payment for you, but will charge a high service fee. Our online bill pay is completely FREE and accessible through our website.
- When making a payment by phone, always ensure you are dialing our office phone number (660) 744-5344 or automated bill pay phone number (844) 859-5980. Do not make any payments over the phone to anyone who has contacted you demanding a payment or asked you to dial a different phone number other than the ones listed above. Our office will call you to remind you your bill has not been paid. If you want to pay at that time, we will transfer you to our automated bill pay phone system.
- If you are mailing your payment, our address is: AHEC, PO Box 160, Rock Port, MO 64482
- If you feel better by paying in person, please visit our office and we would be happy to assist you.
- If you pay your bill using your own payment service (for instance, your bank) always follow the payment service’s instructions to ensure your account security.
- Never provide your Social Security Number, credit card number or bank information to anyone demanding it (over the phone or in person) unless you initiated the contact and feel confident the transaction is legitimate.
- We never ask members to purchase debit cards to make payments.
- To avoid payment scams entirely and keep current on your electric bills, consider enrolling in our autopay service where your amount due will automatically be deducted from your bank account or credit card each month.
Remember, if you’re suspicious about being contacted about the payment of your electric bill or being asked to submit payment to avoid disconnection, please contact us at (660) 744-5344. If you believe you have fallen victim to a scam, immediately contact your cooperative, as well as local law enforcement.
HOW TO PAY YOUR BILL ONLINE
1. Go to our website, www.ahec.coop
2. Click on E-BILL on the right side on the screen. The webpage https://ahec.smarthub.coop/Login.html#login: should look like following:
Once you reach this page, you can login. If you haven’t created an account, you can click “Sign up to access our Self Service site” to create an account.
3. When you login or get signed up for an account, your E-Bill home page will look similar to the following:
Once on the E-Bill home page, click on Make Payment on the right side of the screen.
4. The E-Bill bill pay page will look similar to the following:
On this page, you can choose to pay the total due or another amount. If you choose “Other Amt”, you will need to type in the amount you want to pay. Once you have made your selection, click on Pay Now on the right side of the screen.
5. The Payment Summary screen will look similar to the following:
If the amount on the right side of the screen is correct, click on Continue.
6. The Payment Method page will look similar to the following: 
On this screen you can pay with a bank account or credit card that is already stored or you can add a new bank account or credit card. To add a new bank account or credit card, click on “Pay with a new Card” or “Pay with a new Bank Account”; then click Continue.
The next step of the Payment Method page will look similar to the following: 
Make sure all your payment information is correct. To complete the payment, click on Submit.
7. The Payment Confirmation page will look similar to the following:
On this screen, you will find your authorization code and payment information. If you wish to have an electronic copy, enter your e-mail address in the E-Mail Address bar and click on E-Mail. If you wish to have a hard copy of your payment authorization, you may click on Print.
Our E-Bill website offers more than just paying your bill online. You can access your usage under the “My Usage” tab by day, month and year and compare it to the temperatures during that time. Please take the time to explore all it has to offer.