Utility Scams

The Borough of Califon has been notified by JCP&L that they have received increased reports of scammers targeting utility customers.  In the latest scam, a telephone caller impersonates an electric utility company employee and threatens to shut off the customer’s power unless an immediate payment is made.

In many cases, the customer is told to pay using a pre-paid debit card, such as a Green Dot/MoneyPak card, a money transfer service like Money Gram or Western Union, or in person at a physical location.

The scammers often use Caller ID spoofing software to lead you to believe you are receiving a call from JCP&L, and/or provide you with a fake “verification” phone number.  These call-back numbers may even include exact replicas of greetings and hold messages you would hear when calling JCP&L’s Contact Center.

Facts to remember:  

• If your account is past-due, you will receive a written notice of your account status, with instructions on how to avoid disconnection of service.
• While JCP&L representatives may call a customer whose bill is in arrears in order to remind them that a payment is due, the representative would explain how a payment can be made using JCP&L’s established payment options.
• They will not demand a payment over the phone or at a particular physical location. 
• JCP&L does not accept prepaid debit cards or wire transfers as payment, and our representatives will not demand your bank information or credit card number over the phone.

What you should do:  

• If you receive a suspicious call, hang up immediately.
• If you believe you have been a victim of this scam, please contact your local police department or the state attorney general’s office.
• If you have purchased a Green Dot card to pay your electric bill and would like to request a refund from Green Dot/MoneyPak, visit www.moneypak.com/refundrequest.aspx.*  *

FirstEnergy is not affiliated with Green Dot Corporation and is not responsible for any refunds associated with Green Dot purchases.  Any questions regarding the MoneyPak Refund Request should be directed to Green Dot Corporation.

Last modified: October 26, 2015