Protect Yourself from Utility Scammers

PSE&G and JCP&L present, How to Spot a Scam - 

PSE&G wants to help protect you from scammers that attempt to impersonate our employees and falsely represent PSE&G. Scammers continue to use calls, texts, emails and in-person tactics to contact utility customers - often asking for immediate payment to avoid service disconnection.

Remember these important clues to identify scams:

• Threats to disconnect: Scammers may aggressively tell you your utility bill is past due and service will be disconnected if a payment is not made — usually within an hour.
• Request for immediate payment: Scammers may instruct you to purchase a prepaid card, a gift card or Bitcoin, and then to call them back to make a phone payment. They may request that use of a payment app to make an online payment, or even give instructions for an in-person meeting. The scammer may call back to ask for the payment to be resubmitted due to an “error” with the amount.
• Request for card information: The scammer may ask you for the prepaid card’s number or gift-card PIN, which grants the scammer instant access to the card’s funds.
• In person-demands: Scammers may arrive at a home or business, flash a fake ID and/or claim to be a utility collection representative. The impostors may wear “uniforms” or attach false company signs to their vehicles. The scammers generally ask for personal information or offer discounts, which a real PSE&G representative would not do.

What you should know to protect yourself:

• Be alert to the telltale signs of a scam: Someone may ask by phone or email for payment in pre-paid debit cards or fund transfer app, or to send money to an out-of-state address. PSE&G offers a variety of payment options and would never require one specific type of payment.
• Never arrange payment or provide account or personal information, including Social Security numbers or debit/credit card information, over the phone unless you are certain you are speaking to a PSE&G representative.
• Customers should also know what PSE&G will and won’t discuss over the phone. A real PSE&G representative will ask to speak to the “Customer of Record.” If that person is available, the representative will explain why they are calling and provide the account name, address and current balance. If the person on the phone does not provide the correct information, it is likely you are not speaking with a PSE&G representative.
• If the “Customer of Record” is not available, the PSE&G representative will not discuss the account and will ask that a message be left for the “Customer of Record” to call 1‑800‑357‑2262.
• If you have doubts about the legitimacy of a call or an email — especially one in which payment is requested — call PSE&G directly at 1-800-436-PSEG (7734).

For more information, visit pseg.com/scamalert.