If someone calls and threatens to immediately
shut off the power, it's likely fraudulent
UNIONDALE, N.Y., Feb. 28,
2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For National Consumer Protection
Week (March 2-8). PSEG Long Island urges customers to
understand scammers' tactics and do the right thing if confronted
with a demand for payment and a threat of imminent shutoff:
Stop and verify before acting. Reach out to PSEG Long
Island for confirmation.
"Consumer Protection Week is a time for helping people
understand how to defend themselves from frauds and scams. PSEG
Long Island wants customers to remember one simple thing: If
someone threatens to immediately shut off your power, call the
number that's printed on your bill to verify before giving them
your money," said Lou DeBrino, PSEG
Long Island's vice president of Customer Operations. "It may be an
advanced digital scam, an in-person scammer or a telephone call,
but nearly all scammers try to blindside their victims with an
urgent problem in the hopes that they panic and miss all the clues
that they're not who they appear to be. If you are unexpectedly
contacted by someone claiming to be from PSEG Long Island and
threatening to immediately shut off your power without payment,
take a step back. Contact PSEG Long Island independently and verify
before acting."
Many of these scammers are demanding immediate payment via
web-based electronic payment services. PSEG Long Island does not
accept external, web-based electronic payment services (outside of
payments through PSEG Long Island's My Account, mobile app and
text) as a method of payment.
What customers should know about payment scams
- Scammers impersonating PSEG Long Island most frequently
threaten to shut off power immediately unless payment is made.
- Many scammers use phone "spoofing" technology to make their
number display on your phone as "PSEG Long Island."
- PSEG Long Island will never request that customers use one
specific method of payment.
- Scammers typically want their victims to transfer money via a
web-based electronic payment service, a prepaid debit card, or even
Bitcoin, sometimes asking people to buy a prepaid card
at the nearest convenience store and then to read them the PIN over
the phone.
- PSEG Long Island does not accept web-based electronic payment
services, prepaid debit cards or Bitcoin as
payment.
- Sometimes phone scammers will demand a deposit for a priority
meter installation. PSEG Long Island does not require a deposit for
meter installations.
- If a customer has doubts about the legitimacy of a call or an
email — especially one in which payment is requested — they should
call the company directly at 1-800-490-0025.
In-person visits
Occasionally, scammers may go door to
door impersonating PSEG Long Island employees, flashing a fake ID
and/or claiming to be a utility collection representative. The
impostors may wear "uniforms" or affix false company signs to their
vehicles. The scammers generally ask for personal information,
which real utility representatives do not do, or offer bogus
discounts. Again, if customers have any doubts, they should not let
the person in, and should call 1-800-490-0025 to verify.
PSEG Long Island employees must carry a company ID and present
it when requested. If customers have doubts, do not let the person
into the house and call 1-800-490-0025 to have a customer service
representative verify that an employee has been dispatched to the
location. An actual PSEG Long Island employee will respect the
customer's decision and remain outside. If the person escalates
their efforts to enter the home, customers should consider calling
911.
Fake websites
Some scammers purchase web domains that
closely resemble the actual URL of a utility and create a
fraudulent replica of the legitimate website. Their plan is to dupe
users who click on these fake sites via search results, or type in
an inaccurate web address. Once on the spoofed site, a visitor is
presented a number of bill payment options, all pointing back to an
outside bill pay site.
PSEG Long Island always uses the ".com" domain. Its real website
can be found at psegliny.com.
How actual PSEG Long Island reps handle phone
calls
Customers should also know what PSEG Long Island will
and won't discuss over the phone. A genuine PSEG Long Island
representative will ask to speak to the Customer of Record. If that
person is available, the representative will explain why they are
calling and provide the account name, address and current balance.
If the person on the phone does not provide the correct
information, it is likely the customer is not speaking with a PSEG
Long Island representative.
If the Customer of Record is not available, the PSEG Long Island
representative will not discuss the account at all and ask that a
message be left for the Customer of Record to call
1-800-490-0025.
PSEG Long Island is a member of Utilities United Against Scams,
which continues to raise customer awareness of common scams and new
scam tactics used by utility impostors. Through its work and with
the help of customer reporting, UUAS has successfully helped to
take more than 14,830 toll-free numbers used by scammers against
utility customers out of operation.
For more information on various payment scams reported in the
PSEG Long Island service area and around the country,
visit psegliny.com/myaccount/customersupport/scamsandfraud.
PSEG Long Island
PSEG Long Island operates
the Long Island Power Authority's transmission and distribution
system under a long-term contract. PSEG Long Island is a
subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG)
(NYSE:PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company.
Visit PSEG Long Island
at:
psegliny.com
PSEG Long Island on
Facebook
PSEG Long Island on Instagram
PSEG
Long Island on X (formerly Twitter)
PSEG Long Island on
LinkedIn
PSEG Long Island on YouTube
PSEG Long
Island on Flickr
Contact: Media Relations Pager
516.229.7248
mediarelationsLI@pseg.com
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SOURCE PSEG Long Island
