Hazlet Police Warn Of Utility Scam

Hazlet police are warning residents about a utility company payment scam.

Police on Thursday said they have been getting reports from residents and business owners who have received calls from con artists claiming to represent JCP&L.

The callers request immediate payment for outstanding bills. The caller tells the victim to pay via a Green Dot Money Card and threatens to shut off electric service if the payment is not made.

Hazlet police are directing residents to the JCP&L website, which has posted an advisory about the scam:

“Customers should know that if they get a call from someone demanding payment of their electric bill by using a Green Dot card they are being scammed and should report the crime to local authorities,” Ronald I. Green, vice president, Customer Service, FirstEnergy, said in a prepared statement. “While we may phone a customer whose bill is in arrears in order to remind them that a payment is due, we would explain how a payment can be made using established payment options.”

Green Dot cards are not officially sanctioned by JCP&L as a bill payment method, the advisory said.

Among the FirstEnergy has bill payment options, available to customers are:

• eBill (Electronic Billing)
• Pay with a credit card
• Equal Payment Plan
• Average Payment Plan
• Pay by phone
• Pay in person
• Pay by mail