PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — PECO is warning customers about an uptick of scams in the area, where those pretending to be PECO employees are trying to get people to pay up.
Scammers have been contacting PECO customers and telling them that their gas or electric service will be shut off unless they make a payment right then and there. VP of Customer Operations Lauren Feldhake said whatever you do, don't give that person any information.
"If anyone calls and says you must pay something immediately or you must get a credit or debit card and call them with the number, that is absolutely a scam. Do not give in," she urged.
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What can add confusion, however, is the scammer using a tactic called spoofing. That fools caller ID into thinking the call is coming from PECO. If you do happen to owe PECO money, Feldhake had advice.
"If you are going to be in collections, you will know that because you will be getting letters prior to that," she clarified. "You will see your past due balance on your bill. You will be getting letters, notices and calls before any termination of service happens."
If you have any concerns, Feldhake said to call PECO directly 1-800-494-4000. Unfortunately, if you give the scammer your debit or credit card number first, she said there's nothing PECO can do at that point.
"Before you get falsely into something, make sure you check with us first," she suggested. "We can make sure we tell you whether it’s accurate or not."