Madison Officials Warn Of Utility Scam

Merchants and residents of Madison and surrounding communities, beware: There's a new scam in play.

According to borough officials, a Madison business received a phone call within the last three hours from someone posing as the JCP&L utility company. The caller, originating from the 718 area zone, demanded payment from the merchant for supposedly delinquent JCP&L electric bills. According to authorities, who declined to identify the merchant who submitted the complaint, the scam artist demanded immediate payment in cash.

Such scams are unfortunately common, says First Energy Corp, a utility provider in New Jersey. Utility customers have reported fraudulent activity, ranging from email to phone calls, with some scam artists demanding immediate payment of bills to avoid disconnection of power, says First Energy.

According to First Energy corp., utility customers should be aware that companies will always send written notices of their account status, by mail, with clear instructions on how to avoid disconnection of service. Utility representatives may call to request back-payment of unpaid bills, but the rep will always explain the various methods of payments allowed, including online, directly with the utility company's site.

If you receive an email or a phone call that appears strange, contact the utility's Customer Service department and/or the local police department. Do not open any email that looks odd or click on any links or attachments in a suspect digital correspondence.