(WBRE/WYOU) — Officials are warning about a utility scam that is showing up in northeastern Pennsylvania.
It involves a threat to shut off the electricity to a person's home or business because of a supposed delinquent account.
The scam callers claim to be from PPL Electric Utilities and say payment must be made immediately or the power will be shut off.
The I-Team's Andy Mehalshick spoke to a businessman who says he almost fell for it. Live reports coming up tonight on 28/22 News.
You can learn more about your rights and responsibilities as a consumer by visiting the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission's website.
A scam warning for customers of PPL Electric Utilities.
Scammers are calling customers threatening to shut off their electricity claiming their accounts are delinquent.
"The other day I received phone call to tell me that PPL was going to come and shut off my power," said John Keegan, owner, Heights Terrace Pharmacy Hazleton.
John Keegan is a pharmacist and owns Heights Terrace Pharmacy in Hazleton.
He says the scam caller sounded like the real deal and he was afraid that he would have to shut down his pharmacy and that would leave his customers high and dry if he didn't pay up.
"They instructed me that I had to get $1,450 dollars and take it out to Walmart and use their instant payment system to deposit it because of the extreme nature of the shut off happening in ten minutes," explained Keegan.
Keegan says he was so concerned his pharmacy would go dark. He followed their instructions.
Mehalshick then calls the scam number stating: "So, I'm going to call the number from one of the victims caller I-d claiming to be from PPL see what happens, see what they have to say, "The number you dialed is not in service", should we be surprised? Probably not."
A PPL spokesperson tells me they will never call a customer and demand payment over the phone.
PPL also advises:
If you suspect it's a scam hang up immediately.
Only return calls to PPL official numbers.
Don't let fast talking push you to give personal information.
Don't use prepaid debit card or gift cards to make payments.
Service will not be disconnected without advance written notice.
Again, we've heard this statement before, if you suspect a scam, it probably is.
