On Utility Scam Awareness Day, ComEd, Nicor
Gas, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas provide tips to identify scams
used to steal money and personal information from families and
businesses
As the holiday season approaches, northern Illinois energy
companies are joining the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Chicago
and Northern Illinois to warn customers to be on heightened alert
for attempted scams, which tend to increase during this time of
year.
During national Utility Scam Awareness Day, ComEd, Nicor Gas,
Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas are reminding families and
businesses to stay vigilant to imposters who will show up at homes
and businesses, then threaten to turn off utility service if
payment is not immediately made.
“Scammers use the holiday season to increase their attempts to
separate businesses and consumers from their money and personal
information, like Social Security or bank account numbers,” added
Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business
Bureau. “Scammers know that we’re busier this time of
year, distracted with plans and paying less attention to our
spending and bill-paying habits. They use urgency and demands to
pay now or lose power, which is something ComEd or other utilities
would never do.”
Scammers are getting creative and expanding their schemes in the
digital space. Traditionally, they use technology to call using a
number that looks like the name and number of a legitimate
business. More recently, imposters are sending QR codes and
instructing recipients to make payments at retail stores like
Walmart and Walgreens. Others are demanding payment through mobile
banking apps.
“ComEd is committed, especially during the holidays, to helping
customers identify potential schemes so they don’t unwittingly send
their money and personal information to imposters,” said Melissa
Washington, Senior Vice President of Customer Operations and
Strategic Initiatives at ComEd. “When it comes to
mobile banking apps, the scammer will claim not to have received a
payment to get the victim to transfer money two or three times,
allowing imposters to scam victims out of thousands of dollars with
a single encounter.”
“Scammers are also using new technology more and more, but the
way to keep yourself safe remains tried and true,” said Bill
Mastoris, interim president — Peoples Gas
and North Shore Gas. “If what the person is
saying doesn’t feel right or if you’re being pressured in any way,
end the conversation. Hang up the phone or close the door. If you
have any further concern, contact your utility using the phone
number or website address on your utility bill.”
Recently, private companies or individuals unaffiliated with
energy companies are posing as bill-management companies and offer
to manage customer bills on their behalf. These fraudulent
companies place the utility account in their name, collect the
customer’s payment but do not forward it to the utility.
“We hold ourselves accountable to customers first and foremost
and will never use aggressive or intimidating tactics to pressure
customers into making a payment toward their natural gas bill,”
said Pat Whiteside, Senior Vice President of Operations at
Nicor Gas. “The personal safety and financial
security of our employees and customers are of utmost
importance.”
Tips to Help Identify Scam Attempts
Illinois energy companies remind customers that they will never
call or visit a home or business to:
- pressure you into making an immediate payment using aggressive
or threatening tactics;
- threaten to disconnect service if payment is not made within a
short timeframe;
- ask for direct payment with a prepaid cash card like Green Dot,
or a third-party payment app like Zelle, Cash App, QuickPay and
Venmo;
- ask for personal information such as Social Security number or
driver’s license number, or banking information is needed for a
refund.
If a utility field representative visits your home or business,
they will wear logoed uniforms and provide identification. If
contacted by phone, verify the legitimacy of the call by requesting
the caller confirm information only you would know, such as date,
amount or method of last payment.
If ever in doubt about the validity of the person calling or at
your door, hang up or shut the door and call the energy company
using a phone number from a trusted source like your latest bill or
the company website or mobile app.
About the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern
Illinois
BBB of Chicago and Northern Illinois is a nonprofit organization
that holds businesses to a higher standard and connect consumers
with businesses they can trust. We have served both local Chicago
and Northern Illinois consumers and trustworthy businesses for over
95 years. We help protect consumers from fraudulent practices in
the marketplace and provide an extensive free database for
consumers to see business ratings and reviews for research before
they buy.
About ComEd
ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ:
EXC), a Fortune 200 energy company with approximately 10 million
electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of
customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million
customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's
population. For more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with
the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.
About Nicor Gas
Nicor Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of
Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company
(NYSE: SO). Nicor Gas serves more than 2.3 million customers in a
service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of
Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. For more information,
visit nicorgas.com.
About North Shore Gas
North Shore Gas, a subsidiary of WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC),
is a regulated natural gas delivery company that serves more than
165,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in 54
communities within the northern suburbs of Chicago. You can find
more information about natural gas safety, energy efficiency and
other energy-related topics at northshoregasdelivery.com. Follow us
on Twitter and Facebook @northshoregas.
About Peoples Gas
Peoples Gas, a subsidiary of WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC), is a
regulated natural gas delivery company that serves more than
891,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in the
city of Chicago. You can find more information about natural gas
safety, energy efficiency and other energy-related topics at
peoplesgasdelivery.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
@peoplegaschi.
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