Utility Shut-Off Scammers In Chatham, Police Warn

CHATHAM, NJ — Chatham police have issued a warning to residents about an increase in scam attempts targeting FirstEnergy customers.

In the two most common scams, individuals appear at the door or over the phone, claiming to be from one of FirstEnergy's utility companies. Scammers frequently work in pairs, are persistent, and use a variety of excuses to obtain personal information, officials said.

"These individuals do not represent FirstEnergy, our utilities, or subsidiaries. Our utility employees do not solicit door-to-door," FirstEnergy said.

When the scam is conducted over the phone, the caller may threaten to disconnect the customer's power unless an immediate payment is made. In many cases, customers are advised to use a pre-paid debit card, or a money transfer service, such as Money Gram or Western Union, FirstEnergy said.

Scammers frequently use caller ID spoofing software to misrepresent the source of the call, according to the Chatham Police Department, to further mislead their targets.

The call-back numbers may even include exact replicas of company greetings and hold messaging.

"While our representative may call a customer whose bill is in arrears in order to remind them that a payment is due, the representative would explain how a payment can be made using our established payment options. They will not demand payment over the phone, in person, or at a particular physical location," FirstEnergy said.

If you believe you have been a victim of this scam, contact the Chatham Police Department.