Power Bill Phone Scam Attempted in Fairfax: Police

FAIRFAX, VA — This is a scam that's been making the rounds for at least the past several years, and it involves two things: a fake representative of Dominion Power and a telephone.

It happened to a resident Friday afternoon in the 4200 block of Ardmore Place, according to Fairfax Police.

A man told police he received a phone call from a male who said he was with the power company, and told him to pay his overdue bill or his service would be stopped. The man called a relative who told him his payments were up to date.

The company has a list of customer tips for such incidents:

• Dominion Virginia Power will never require payment over the phone or require payment on a pre-paid debit card.
• Dominion does not direct customers to make payment at any of their offices; designated payment centers can be found online.
• If customers wish to pay their bill by phone, they are directed to BillMatrix at 1-800-573-1147. Please note: customers will never be contacted by BillMatrix requiring payment.)
• If a customer is behind on a monthly bill, they should contact Dominion to set up a mutually agreed upon payment plan. Dominion provides a customer with notifications on their bill before power is disconnected.
• If a customer is suspicious of a caller, they are encouraged to collect information from the scammer including the caller's name, any phone numbers or other details before hanging up and reporting to local law enforcement.
• Customers should always call Dominion at 1-866-DOM-HELP to verify that the company is attempting to reach them before releasing any personal information.

Also included in Tuesday's Fairfax crime report:

Incident / Case #…
Larceny from Vehicle
17-02456
3600 Block of Embassy Lane – On February 14 at 3:17 PM the resident reported that sometime between 12:30 AM and 5:00 AM unknown person(s) had rummaged through her unlocked parked vehicle and stolen a suitcase containing assorted clothing.

Vandalism

17-02659
10950 Fairfax Boulevard / Verizon – On February 17 at 6:08 PM employees reported that an unknown male subject had extensively damaged the iPhone display in an attempt to steal the iPhones. When an employee yelled at him the suspect ran out of the store. The Patrol Division is investigating the case.

Assault
17-02663
10700 Block of West Drive / Parking Lot – On February 17 at 9:01 PM the victim, a 25 year old Burke area man, reported that about 1:30 AM he had been assaulted by two unknown male subjects who pushed him to the ground and attacked him, inflicting cuts and abrasions. The Patrol Division is investigating the case.

Assault
17-02679
10412 Sager Avenue / Parking Lot – On February 18 at 3:00 AM the victim, a 22 year old Fairfax area woman, reported that while sitting in a vehicle with a male acquaintance a female subject known to them had pulled her from the vehicle by her hair and had struck her in the face. The suspect then left the area in a vehicle. The Patrol Division is investigating the case.

DUI Arrest
17-02707
Chain Bridge Road / North Street – On February 18 at 8:09 PM an officer investigating a traffic crash determined that one of the drivers involved was intoxicated. Kwan Sun Chon, 58, of 5276 Bragden Court, Springfield, was transported to the Adult Detention Center where he was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and his bond was set at $3000.

Image via Shutterstock