PECO is urging customers to be aware of a scam that continues to target
customers in the Philadelphia area. The scam, which has been reportedly
taking place throughout the country, claims that customers are behind on
their account and must make immediate payment to avoid service
termination.
Customers are being asked to purchase a pre-paid debit card, in random
amounts, from local pharmacies or convenience stores. The customer is
then directed to contact a number to utilize the card for immediate
payment to their account. Once the information is provided to the
scammer, the funds on the card are removed.
“We want to make our customers aware of this scam so they can protect
themselves from becoming victims of this and other fraudulent
activities,” said Mark Alden, PECO vice president of Customer
Operations. “We will not tolerate anyone taking advantage of our
customers. We are working closely with local police to investigate any
instances of scamming in our service territory so that these individuals
can be caught and brought to justice.”
PECO offers these tips for customers to help avoid being scammed:
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If customers receive a call from someone who says they are calling to
collect a bill payment for PECO, the caller should be able to provide
information specific to the customer’s account. This includes the
following information:
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Account Name
-
Account Address
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Account Number
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Amount of Current Balance
If the caller cannot provide this information, it is likely the call is
not coming from PECO. In this case, customers should not provide any
type of payment or financial information, and call the company
immediately at 1-800-494-4000 to report the situation.
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Never provide your social security number, or banking or credit card
information over the phone unless you have initiated the call.
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Never provide anyone access to your home who claims to be from PECO,
or a contractor working for PECO, unless the person has proper
identification. Customers can always contact the company at
1-800-494-4000 to confirm an official visit.
Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility
subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). PECO serves 1.6
million electric and 494,000 natural gas customers in southeastern
Pennsylvania and employs about 2,400 people in the region. PECO
delivered 82.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 38.1 billion
kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2011. Founded in 1881, PECO is
one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens,
providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts
and culture, education, environmental, economic development and
community programs and organizations.
