PECO Joins National Effort to Help Protect Customers from Scammers
November 16 2016 - 11:24AM
Business Wire
First-ever “Utilities United Against Scams Day”
brings together utilities from across the United States and
Canada
PECO has joined forces with electric and natural gas utility
companies across the United States and Canada to help protect
customers from the long-running scams targeting customers of
utility service providers. PECO and its sister Exelon utilities,
Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva and Pepco are
committed to educating customers and putting a stop to
scamming.
The cohort, known as Utilities United Against Scams, have
designated November 16 as “Utilities United Against Scams Day.”
This day will be supported by a week-long campaign focused on
exposing the tricks scammers use to steal money from customers, and
how customers can protect themselves. The collaborative, which
includes utility member organizations such as Edison Electric
Institute and American Gas Association, encourages utilities to
share these messages to help guard against scam activity.
“PECO is proud to join utilities across the country to partner
in this important effort against scamming,” said Mike Innocenzo,
PECO senior vice president and chief operating officer. “We won’t
stop until every customer can feel safe about who is on the other
end of the line, or on the other side of the door.”
When being scammed, a customer typically receives an unsolicited
phone call from an individual who falsely claims to be a utility
representative. The scammer warns that the customer’s service will
be shut off if the customer fails to make a payment – usually
within a short timeframe through a prepaid debit card.
Scammers have even duplicated the upfront Interactive Voice
Response system of some utilities, so when customers call the
number provided by the scammer, it sounds like a legitimate
business. Some of these scammers also use caller ID spoofing to
replicate a utilities phone number.
Red flags for scam activity
- The scammer often becomes angry and
tells a customer his or her account is past due and service will be
shut off if a large payment isn’t made – usually within less than
an hour.
- The scammer instructs the customer to
purchase a prepaid debit or credit card – widely available at most
retail stores – then call him or her back to supposedly make a
payment.
- The scammer asks the customer for the
prepaid card’s receipt number and PIN number, which grants instant
access to the funds loaded to the card.
How to protect yourself
- Utility representatives will never ask
or require a customer with a past due balance to purchase a prepaid
debit card to avoid disconnection.
- Customers can make payments online, by
phone, automatic bank withdraw, mail or in person.
- Customers with a past due balance will
receive multiple shut off notifications – never a single
notification one hour before disconnection.
Don’t Get Scammed: Customers can avoid being scammed by
taking a few precautions:
- Never provide social security
numbers or personal information to anyone initiating contact
with you claiming to be a utility representative or requesting you
to send money to another person or entity other than your local
utility providers.
- Always ask to see a company photo
ID before allowing any utility worker into your home or
business.
- When in doubt, check it out. Be
skeptical of individuals wearing clothing with old or defaced
company logos. If you have any doubts, ask to see a company photo
ID.
- Never make payment for services to
anyone coming to the door.
Any PECO customer who believes he or she has been a target of a
scam is urged to contact their local police, and call PECO
immediately at 1-800-494-4000 to report the situation.
Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas
utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). The
company’s 2,500 dedicated employees provide advanced, innovative
energy solutions to 1.6 million electric and more than 511,000
natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2015
PECO delivered 86.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 38
billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. The company also has an
estimated annual economic impact of $4.5 billion in Pennsylvania,
supporting more than 8,700 local jobs and producing $732 million in
labor income. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater
Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing
leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and
culture, education, environmental, economic development and
community programs and organizations. For more information visit
PECO.com, and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter.
If you are a member of the media and would like to receive
PECO news releases via email, please send your email address to
PECO.Communication@exeloncorp.com.
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PECOBen Armstrong, 215-841-5555
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