Monmouth County Police Departments Warn JCP&L Customers About Phone Scam After Residents Report Calls

Police are warning customers about a long-running, nation-wide utility scam that is again being reported in Wall Township involving a caller posing as an electric company employee threatening to shut off power unless an immediate payment is made using a pre-paid debit card such as a Green Dot card.

According to Chief Robert L. Brice, the Wall Township Police Department has received 3 complaints of customers receiving the scam calls, beginning August 21. Although the elderly are the most common victims of phone scams, Chief Brice states that the victims of these scams were local businesses, which highlights the fact that anyone can be a target or victim.

These pre-paid cards typically are available at convenience stores and drug stores and can be used by consumers to pay bills or add money to online accounts. However, Green Dot cards are not officially sanctioned by JCP&L as a bill payment method.

Customers should know that if they get a call from someone demanding payment of their electric bill by using a Green Dot card they are being scammed and should report the crime to local authorities. While a company representative may phone a customer whose bill is in arrears to remind them that a payment is due, JCP&L would explain how a payment can be made using established payment options.

Any customer who has doubts about a call from someone claiming to be from JCP&L, especially one demanding immediate payment, should call JCP&L’s customer service number at 1-800-662-3115.