Pay online – Visit our home page to pay on your account online through your browser. See our member warning below regarding third-party payment companies, and only pay through our:
- Pay Now portal on our homepage, that is used for a quick one-time payment, or
- SmartHub, where you can pay online 24/7 with a checking account or credit/debit card, with reoccurring options via online access.
Pay-by-Phone – You can now call our automated phone service 24/7/365, at (844) 759-3977, to pay your bill, update your account information, and set up reoccurring payments securely over the phone. This automated service is available in English and Spanish languages, and accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover cards, and checks through E-check! Aside from SmartHub, this is where you must set up reoccurring credit/debit payments. Although it is always most secure to use our automated payment line, you can still pay your bill over the phone by check by calling us toll free (800) 606-1505 to speak with one of our Customer Service Representatives during normal business hours. Due to the increase in credit card fraud resulting from card not present (CNP/Telephone) transactions. As a result, effective January 1, 2021 we are no longer accepting credit/debit card payments over the phone with a live representative. Account information can now be obtained after-hours through our after-hours answering service. See below for more information on over-the-phone credit card transactions.
Automatic Draft – Credit/debit/checking/savings – Choose an automatic payment deduction from the account of your choice. This is set up as a recurring payment draft on the due date shown on your bill.
- Sign up for reoccurring credit/debit card payments through SmartHub.
- Sign up for reoccurring checking/savings account withdraws by completing the Automatic Bank Draft Authorization Form, found below, and returning to our office, or call for questions or more information.
Vanilla Direct Pay – VanillaDirect is an alternative method to transact real-time cash payments conveniently and safely to Egyptian Electric from Vanilla Direct’s expansive retail network, allowing our cash-preferred consumer-members to thrive in today’s evolving digital world. By scanning the barcode from inside your SmartHub account or on your Egyptian Electric payment stub, you can make secure cash payments to your Egyptian Electric Cooperative account at any cashier location at any participating Vanilla Direct retailer across the U.S. Participating locations include stores such as Walmart, Walgreen’s, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Circle K, and CVS, to name a few. A third-party retailer fee of $1.50 is charged by the vendor for each transaction made, and fee amounts and terms associated with Vanilla Direct Pay are subject to change at any time. For additional information visit pay.vanilladirect.com.
MoneyGram Express Payment – You can now pay your bill at the service desk in-store at select box store locations such as Wal-Mart and CVS locations nation-wide. Service hours vary, $1.50 fee/transaction applies by vendor. You will need your account number, address and phone to make a payment. Debit or cash payments accepted only. All MoneyGram locations can be found at: moneygram.com/mgo/us/en/locations
Pay by on-site kiosk – You can pay with cash, by E-check, or securely by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover), outside our office location! Our onsite kiosk accepts cash (but no change given), E-checks, Visa, Mastercard and Discover cards. The kiosk is located outside of our office (next to the drop-box and drive-thru window).
Egyptian Electric Cooperative1732 Finney RoadMurphysboro, ILAvailable 24/7 Outdoors in the Drive-thru
Pay by off-site kiosk – We have two off-site CASH ONLY kiosk locations; one east of Carbondale, at the MarketPlace Shell located at N. Reed Station Road and Route 13 intersection, and one at the Neighborhood Co-op Grocery inside the Murdale Shopping Center in Carbondale. There are no transaction fees associated with this method.
Marketplace Shell (618-457-0675)2301 N. Reed Station RoadCarbondale, ILOpen 6 a.m. to Midnight! (hours subject to change)Neighborhood Co-op Grocery (618-529-3533) (This kiosk was relocated from the Wright Do-It Center in Sparta on 4/1/2023)
1815 W. Main Street (at the Murdale Shopping Center)
Carbondale, IL
Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily! (hours subject to change)
PrePay – We have a PrePay program – where you pay on your meter as-you-go. Payments can be made by cash or card. Call our office at (800) 606-1505 to learn more about this option and sign up. Here you can view the Prepay Billing System Agreement and the “Important Things to Know About Prepay“!
Pay by mail – Mail your payment check along with the stub, conveniently located at the bottom of your bill to Egyptian Electric Cooperative, in the envelope provided with your statement. Please allow 5 to 7 business days for delivery.
Pay in person – Stop by our Murphysboro office or drive-thru window at 1732 Finney Road north of Murphysboro, during business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, to pay your bill in person. An after-hours drop box is also available on the south side of our office building, next to drive-thru window and payment kiosk.
SmartHub App – View and pay your bill using this app with your smart phone or smart tablet. Find this FREE app on your app store!
- Smarthub in the Apple iTunes Store
- Smarthub in the Android Marketplace
Budget Billing Program
In the past we have projected a monthly average calculation, based on the previous year’s usage, that would be the amount set/due for 12 months. The true-up month and recalculation had been in May, and will continue to be so. Because usage is directly related to, and significantly impacted by, temperatures assuming monthly amounts can be very unpredictable. Projecting monthly amounts is just as uncertain as one would be in predicting weather a year in advance. Just this past winter, we had record low temperatures which considerably increased many May true-up account balances, as well as increased new monthly budget amounts.
We do the recalculations every four months. The recalculation months are May, September and January, with new amounts due going into effect for June, October and February bills. The recalculated amount will be listed in the message box (the month before made effective) on your bill and will be for the following four consecutive months. Doing the recalculations every four months will better ensure that you stay on track even when we have a warmer than expected summer, or colder than anticipated winter. With this change we hope to make the May true-up amount due closest to your average bill, avoiding a large credit or balance due, and avoiding drastic changes in monthly budget amounts.
If you pay more than what is due, the extra amount will go towards the following month’s budget amount, unless you let us know otherwise.
If you are a budget conscience person, this is a great option to know what you will be paying every month, and to stay on track with little to no surprises. Our Budget Billing program is completely free for members and can be joined at any time throughout the year, with accounts in good standing and with at least 12 months of service history at that location. Review the document below and call our office to learn more!
Automatic Bank Draft Option
How Does It Work?
Egyptian Electric Cooperative will continue to send a monthly, standard paper billing statement, or a digital version should you sign up for electronic billing via e-mail. On the due date of your bill, funds will be automatically transferred from your designated account to the Cooperative. In other words, the funds stay in your account until the last moment. Your monthly bill statement will allow you ample time to update your account register and ensure you have adequate funds in the account.
What If I Disagree With The Bill Amount?
Should you disagree with the amount of your bill, please contact the our Billing Department at least five working days before the bill due date. Should there not be ample funds in the account to cover the bill, you may incur fees from your financial institution and the Cooperative, the same as an insufficient funds check.
Is Automated Payment For Me?
If you are like many of us today, your life is packed full of responsibilities and duties. Selecting an automatic payment option can save you the time and hassle of writing and mailing checks on time. It may also save you money by avoiding check, postage or late fees. If you travel frequently or for extended periods, Automatic Payment provides the comfort of knowing your account is always paid on time.
How Do I Sign Up?
If you are a registered e-bill member through the SmartHub internet member care portal, just login to the system by clicking on the Pay Bill icon on the home page. Once logged in, go to the My Profile tab and click on the Update My Bank Account or Credit Card Information. Select to either add a new credit/debit card or a new bank account.
If you are not a registered e-bill member or choose not to, just print and complete the Automatic Bank Draft Authorization, below. Enclose a voided check with the form if you wish deduction from a checking account and mail it with your next payment. Please allow up to two billing cycles before Automatic Payment begins. Your bill will indicate when automatic payments starts. See below for the printable form.
Credit Card Payments Over the Phone
Our purpose in changing the way we take payments is always to best protect our membership from the growing threat of credit card fraud. Our goal is to mitigate credit card payments handled through live phone calls. This type of transaction is card-not-present (CNP) transaction and has special regulations that are becoming more difficult to meet in a live call. Due to the increase in credit card fraud nationwide resulting from card not present transactions, effective January 2021 we will no longer be accepting credit card payments over the phone by use of a live representative.
Why are we changing the way we accept credit cards?
• Credit card fraud is an ever-growing threat.
• To maintain compliance with rules set forth by the credit card industry.
• To minimize risk to members & the cooperative of credit card fraud. Leaders in the industry call CNP fraud a huge problem that’s growing exponentially and unabated. Card fraud continues to grow, but the type of card fraud carried out is largely shifting to CNP transactions. A 2018 study from the Federal Reserve said the amount of card-present fraud in the U.S. declined from $3.68 billion in 2015 to $2.91 billion in 2016, while the amount of CNP fraud jumped from $3.4 billion to $4.57 billion during the same period. A study released in 2018 by Javelin Strategy & Research said CNP fraud is 81% more likely to occur opposed to in-store/card-present, fraud.
Why can’t I talk to a live person when paying by credit card?
• We cannot verify that the person on the phone is the authorized card holder, for example we cannot check a photo ID over the phone.
• Voice transactions bypass the security “built-into” the card; mag-strip, EMV chip.
What is the law governing credit card transactions?
• We are governed by regulations and guidelines, (NOT LAW) set forth by the credit card industry (VISA, Mastercard, etc.).
• We are required to follow the credit card standards for use of their cards.
• The regulations and guidelines are known as “Payment Card Industry” standards, PCI for short.
• The regulations vary based on company size, card present, card-not-present, internet payment, automated telephone system, live telephone call, and many other factors.
Why can I still pay by phone with Company X?
• Each company views fraud and their risk exposure differently.
• Our goal is to minimize risk to all our members and the cooperative. Retailers stand to lose about $130 billion in revenue on fraudulent CNP transactions between now and 2023 as they fail to keep up with digital fraud detection and prevention measures, according to a new forecast from Juniper Research.
Member Warning
There is an on-line bill pay website that appears to be affiliated with EECA, but it is not. DOXO.com is third-party website that allows people to pay their electric bills via their site. Some Egyptian Electric Cooperative members have felt misled after unknowingly stumbling upon the service while searching for Egyptian Electric Cooperative’s bill payment service. DOXO’s payment pages are using Egyptian Electric Cooperative’s logos and name WITHOUT PERMISSION, giving it the appearance of an official payment site, when it is not. Also beware, DOXO.com may charge the member extra fees, and EECA cannot control when we will receive the member payments from DOXO.com, possibly resulting in late payments/fees, or even disconnection due to non-payment procedures. To make sure you’re paying EECA directly, visit our home page, or SmartHub payment portal, eeca.smarthub.coop or on the app. As always, if you receive suspicious phone calls or emails, from someone claiming to be a representative of EECA, requesting payment, please call us at (800) 606-1505.
