Beware: PECO Phone Scam On The Rise In Bucks County, Authorities Say

Police in Bucks County are warning local residents of a PECO phone scam after officials confirm they've seen an increase in attempts throughout the region.

The scam goes like this: a scammer will call and tell you that you haven't paid your bill. They threaten you by saying your power will be turned off if you don't pay by purchasing prepaid debit cards.

The scammer gives a phone number to be called once the cards have been purchased. Then, upon calling you'll be requested to supply the numbers on the card and the PIN, Central Bucks Regional Police warned in a recent announcement.

Don't fall for it.

PECO assures residents that they will never attempt to collect money over the phone with prepaid debit cards.

"PECO representatives will never call you to ask you for cash or request that you purchase a prepaid credit card to make a payment on your bill. If you have concerns about the status of your account, call PECO's Customer Service line at 1-800-494-4000," PECO said on its website.

Scammers have also been known to use a tactic called "spoofing" to manipulate the caller ID so it appears as a PECO number.

PECO has additional information about the scam on its website. Click here to learn more.