Police departments are being inundated with calls as scammers target businesses in Monmouth County, seeking to frighten and intimidate unsuspecting citizens and steal their cash, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said on Jan. 31.
The scammers have recently targeted small businesses, including a salon, gym and a deli, with phone calls, posing as employees of Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), according to the prosecutor.
The scam follows the same basic line of fear and intimidation: the person receiving the call is advised he is past due on a bill, he is threatened with having his power shut-off, and he is given the opportunity to “pay” his bill within a brief period of time to avoid any embarrassment or work stoppages, Gramiccioni said.
The phone calls have included demands for direct payments using a pre-paid debit card, reloadable debit cards or gift cards. Any person receiving a call like this should consider it a red flag that he is dealing with a con artist and not a genuine representative of a legitimate company, according to the prosecutor.
Gramiccioni said the county has seen this scam before, but he said it is necessary to repeat and remind the public that no legitimate business will demand anyone make a payment over the phone using a pre-paid debit card.
Anthony Hurley, JCP&L vice president of operations, has previously warned that the utility will not call or send an email to demand immediate payment or to threaten imminent shutoff.
JCP&L, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy, does not demand or require payment over the phone via specific means, like using Green Dot cards or any other pre-paid debit card, according to a press release from the prosecutor’s office.
JCP&L employees typically only visit a home in response to a service request and employees always carry photo identification, wear a uniform and drive clearly marked vehicles, Hurley has said.
Anyone who suspects he has received a scam call should contact his local police department.
JCP&L urges any customer who has doubts about a call from someone claiming to be from JCP&L, especially one demanding immediate payment, to call customer service at 1-800-662-3115, according to the press release.