Police In Bucks County Issue Renewed Warning On PECO Scam

Police in Bucks County say they've noticed an increase in reports of what is known as the PECO scam. Here's how it works: a PECO customer gets a call falsely claiming their electric or gas service will be disconnected unless a payment is made. The scammers instruct customers to buy a prepaid credit card and call back to a different phone number with the personal identification number and other information.

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

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

The scam could also happen in person, officials say. Customers should be leery of anyone who tries to gain access to their homes by posing as utility workers. These utility impostors could even carry official-looking credentials and often work in pairs, according to information from Bensalem Police.