There have been recent reports within Middlesex County and nationwide regarding scams targeting customers of various utilities service companies; most recently PSE&G. The scammers pretending to be PSE&G send unsolicited text messages, emails or phone calls advising customers that the terms of service have changed, payment has not been received, or there is credit available to the account. Many times, links to websites will have subtle typos or misspellings.
PSE&G Payment Scam:
- Scammers are placing calls posing as a PSE&G representative indicating that a technician is on their way to disconnect utility service for non-payment.
- The caller many times will confirm the address to be accurate and correct.
- The caller will then instruct the potential victim to call 1-88-588-9167 and press option
- From there, instructions are then given to speak with a manager to rectify the issue.
- The scam can be utilized to steal passwords and personal information.
If there are imposters physically at your door, do as follows:
- Call 911 immediately if you feel the person/persons at your door are imposters.
- In the alternative, if anyone comes to your door looking like, or claiming to be, a PSE&G employee, ask for ID. All PSE&G employees must carry ID and present it when requested. If you are not convinced, do not let the person in your house. Call PSE&G at 1-800-436-PSEG (7734). A Customer Service Representative will gladly verify if a technician has been dispatched to your location.
Things to know:
- If the person at your door gives you a different phone number to verify his/her presence, do not call it. Only call 1-800-436-PSEG (7734).
- PSE&G will never send employees to your home or small business offering cash refunds on deposits or utility charges.
To protect yourself and others from these scams, consider the following:
NEVER provide personal information such as date of birth or social security
number.
- DO NOT provide account login information.
- ENABLE two-step verification whenever available.
- DO NOT share account activity – Do not share activity or financial account information.
- Block any phone numbers and report the text as junk/spam.
Please call your local police department, if you believe you have been victimized. You can also report scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) https://reportfraud.ftc.gov and/or the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) https://www.ic3.gov.
