PSE&G: Scams Are On the Rise, Be Careful

Woodbridge, NJ - PSE&G says it is seeing an increase in scams this winter, and is urging customers to be cautious if someone calls you or knocks on your door, claiming to be with the utility company.

“We’ve seen a significant uptick in the number of scams being reported to us by customers,” said Greg Dunlap, vice president of PSE&G’s customer operations.

For example, this past Sunday, a man in Jersey City said someone knocked on his door. The man said he was with PSE&G and asked to talk to him about a refund check the company owed him. The man said he didn’t open the door, and called police instead.

Two of the most common PSE&G scams being seen right now across the state:

1. Phone scam: Someone will call you and claim to be with PSE&G: Phone scammers use scare tactics, such as threatening to turn off your electricity, if they do not receive immediate payment with a pre-paid credit card. In reality, PSE&G would never require a customer to use one specific form of payment, says Dunlap. PSE&G will always offer a number of payment options, and will never insist on immediate payment.
2. Door-to-door scam: Door-to-door scammers use trickery, Dunlap says. They will show up at someone’s house dressed like a utility worker and say they need to “check a problem.” Do not let them in, PSE&G says. Once inside, they may burglarize your home. Always ask to see ID, and the card should have the PSE&G company logo, the worker’s photo and employee number on it. Home invasions done in this manner have been reported in Englewood Cliffs and near Clifton in the past.

“The only way to protect against these scams is for customers to be cautious when contacted by someone seeking access to their home, or demanding immediate payment,” Dunlap said.

Anyone suspicious of a scam should call PSE&G at 1-800-436-7734 and notify local police.