Press release
ComEd, Better Business Bureau Find Latest Scams Bilking Customers Out of Larger Sums of Money
For Utility Scam Awareness Day, ComEd also sees increase in scams involving cryptocurrency and QR codes CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Based on a ComEd analysis
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[{"type":"text","content":"\nFor Utility Scam Awareness Day, ComEd also sees increase in scams involving cryptocurrency and QR codes\n\n\n CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nBased on a ComEd analysis of reported scams for the first eight months of 2023, the energy company found that, while the number of reported incidents stayed the same compared to 2021, the amount of money lost per incident increased significantly. In recognition of Utility Scam Awareness Day, which is Wednesday, Nov. 15, ComEd and the Better Business Bureau share tips to help its customers identify – and hopefully avoid – the latest scam trends.\n\n\nThrough August of this year, the number of scams reported into ComEd decreased slightly as compared to the same timeframe in 2021 (1,156 vs. 1,151). Unfortunately, the total amount of money lost as a result of these reported scams more than doubled ($86,771 vs. $175,604).\n\n\nReason to remain vigilant\n\n\nAs the holiday season approaches, ComEd and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Chicago and Northern Illinois ask customers to be heightened alert for imposters who will call or visit homes and businesses, then threaten to turn off service if payment is not immediately made.\n\n\n“Scammers use the holiday season as the time to increase their attempts to separate us from our money and even personal information, like Social Security or bank account numbers,” said Melissa Washington, ComEd chief customer officer and senior vice president of customer operations. “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 to make their demands sound more believable. But what our customers need to know is that ComEd will never demand immediate payment under threat of disconnection.”\n\n\nLast year, ComEd noticed a rise in scammers demanding payment through mobile banking apps because they often have higher transaction limits than pre-paid cash cards. In some instances, the scammer will falsely 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.\n\n\nSteve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau, says, “Utility scams against businesses are also more prevalent during the holiday season because many restaurants ...