Duke Energy is alerting customers about a scam falsely claiming they will experience scheduled power outages.

The utility company confirmed these messages did not come from Duke Energy and urged customers to avoid clicking links or downloading attachments from unknown sources.

Duke Energy advises customers who receive such communications to contact the company directly to discuss their accounts or visit official Duke Energy channels for legitimate updates about grid conditions.

The warning comes as the region continues to experience winter weather impacts, with crews from more than 40 states working to restore power following an ice storm that has caused thousands of outages across the Carolinas.

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