Hastings-on-Hudson Police Department: Beware of Con Edison Scam! Scammers looking to rip off Con Edison customers have begun asking them to make payments by Cash App and Zelle.

December 3, 2021

 

Dear Residents,

 

The below information was received from Con Edison about potential scams of homeowners. Please read below and stay safe.

 

Scammers looking to rip off Con Edison customers have begun asking them to make payments by Cash App and Zelle.

Con Edison does not support these platforms for payment. Any customer who gets a request to pay a Con Edison bill by Cash App or Zelle should beware that the person making the request is a scammer who will steal the money.

The company is marking the Federal Trade Commission’s National Consumer Protection Week by again warning customers that they should be aware of scammers. Con Edison is a member of Utilities United Against Scams, a group of companies that seeks to educate customers about signs that someone is trying to steal from them.

 

Con Edison gets complaints every day from customers saying they received suspicious phone calls from people claiming to be from the company and demanding money.

These callers often say the customer owes money and service will be turned off unless the customer immediately buys a pre-paid card and provides the scammer with the number. Once the customer puts money on the card and provides the scammer with the card number, the scammer steals the money.

 

These callers sometimes point the customer to a store that sells pre-paid cards. The scammers target residential and business customers in all parts of Con Edison’s New York City and Westchester County service area. Spanish-speaking customers often receive calls from scammers who are fluent in Spanish.

 

 

 

Scam callers can even make a Con Edison phone number show up on the customer’s caller ID.

Sometimes impostors go to a customer’s home or business and try to get money by saying the customer is delinquent on Con Edison bills and threatening a service turnoff.

 

 

Customers should also be aware of these scammer tactics:

 

Learn more on avoiding scams. Con Edison's website offers approved options for bill payment.

Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nation's largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $12 billion in annual revenues and $63 billion in assets. The utility provides electric, gas, and steam service to more than three million customers in New York City and Westchester County, N.Y.

 

Sincerely,

 

Chief David A Dosin