PSEG LI Warns Cyber Scammers Try Conveying 'Sense Of Urgency' On Calls

MERRICK, NY — There has been an uptick in crimes recently in Nassau County perpetrated against older and more vulnerable people.

With cyber/phone scams or frauds, the victim is usually instructed to send or hand over cash because of what appear to be dire circumstances, such as paying for the relative's bail. It's all fake, but the victim acts with his or her heart, rather than the mind.

These scams can also involve utility companies. Robert Vessichelli, PSEG Long Island's Asset Protection Specialist, recently gave Patch a few minutes to explain about this serious problem.

For scams involving electricity, Vessichelli said there are a few red flags for customers to stay aware of, and knowing your account balance is a good start.

"When people come on and say you're going to be shut off out of the blue, in one or two hours," Vessichelli told Patch. "We don't operate that way."

He said shutting the service is treated as a last resort, "after numerous attempts," plus they will always try to work with the customer by offering deferred payments.

"The scammers try to convey a sense of urgency," he said. It's important not to panic. "You have to relax, take your time and in our case, call an 800 number that's on everybody's bill."

That would put the victim in control by confirming any account queries.

A variation of the scam has customers being offered a rebate for overpaying, but the only option is via direct deposit, by giving bank information.

Vessichelli said the most common fraud is by an imposter calling seeking an overdue payment.

"They'll tell them to purchase a pre-paid debit card," he said. "This investigation is very difficult because we suspect that probably 99% of the initial calls are coming from outside the country."

Once the person realizes they've been a victim, "if they suffered a loss, they should definitely call the police and also call PSEG Long Island," Vessichelli said.

It is vital that customers keep their guard up, even before answering the phone.

"If you receive a call and it says PSEG Long Island on your caller ID, don't assume that it is us," he said. "There's something called spoofing; they can call from any number and make it look like it's coming from another location."