Colorado Springs Utilities customers instructed to stay alert after info was compromised in a “data event”

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Springs Utilities is now notifying customers of a data event that took place on June 15, where an "unauthorized party" accessed a file containing the information of around 200,000 customer accounts.

Though Springs Utilities says the party did not access any sensitive financial data, customers should still be on alert for scammers that may capitalize on the situation.

The company learned of the breach on July 6. The accessed customer data, which was stored by one of their third-party contractors, included customer names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and utility account numbers.

Colorado Springs Utilities is emphasizing that they are not defining this as a "data breach," due to the nature of the information. They're instead referring to the situation as a "data event."

Still, Springs Utilities says the information could be used by scammers to request more sensitive information. The perceived threat is that scammers would use phone numbers to contact customers, and posing as the company, they would request payment information or social security numbers over the phone.

KRDO News Channel 13 asked Colorado Springs Utilities if they have received any reports of scammers, and they said they have not heard of any reports tied to this specific event.