Consumer Scams Reported In Union County

UNION COUNTY, NJ — Consumer scams are being reported in the area by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs and Union County seniors and residents are being told to be on alert.

Scams being reported include:

Fraudsters calling residents and claiming to represent the utility PSE&G. They threatened to cut off services unless the victim immediately paid their bill using a pre-paid card.

“If you get such a call, hang up immediately. You can contact PSE&G with any questions you may have, and you can find their official contact information on one of your past utility bills.” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen.

Another scam reported are robo-calls threatening the victim with a “lawsuit” by the Internal Revenue Service.

Residents who receive calls regarding an IRS lawsuit should hang up immediately. IRS scams can be reported to the Treasury Department by using the online fraud reporting system at treasury.gov.

Lastly a consumer complaint has been filed against several New Jersey companies for selling senior wireless alert systems that failed to work or were never delivered, according to Freeholder Angel G. Estrada, who chairs the Freeholder Board’s Public Safety Committee.

The companies involved are named Life Aid Connect, Safety Alert USA LLC, Med Aid Alert and Mobile Alert, Inc.

Residents who have had similar experiences with these companies can call the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs at 800-242-5846 or 973-504-6200 to register their complaint.

For more information about consumer frauds and how to avoid them, visit the Anti-Fraud Toolkit, a new online information hub created by the Division of Consumer Affairs at FightingFraud.nj.gov.

Union County residents are also encouraged to report possible frauds and scams to the Union County Office of Consumer Affairs. To file a complaint online visit ucnj.org/public-safety or call 908-654-9840.

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