Press release
ComEd Urges Customers to Be Aware of Energy-Related Scams Over the Holidays
On National Scam Awareness Day, ComEd provides customers with tips to help identify scammers looking to steal money and personal information
About this update from Exelon Corporation
[{"type":"text","content":"\nOn National Scam Awareness Day, ComEd provides customers with tips to help identify scammers looking to steal money and personal information\n\n CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nAs the holiday season approaches, ComEd recognizes Utility Scam Awareness Day, Nov. 18, by reminding customers to be on the lookout for imposters using energy-related scams to steal money and personal information.\n\nSince 2017, customer reports of scams and scam attempts into ComEd’s call center have increased 60 percent. With the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, imposters are taking advantage of the situation to also pressure families and businesses who may be struggling with past-due balances.\n\n“Every year, imposters get more sophisticated in their attempts to steal money or financial information from our customers,” said Nichole Owens, ComEd vice president of customer channels. “Utility Scam Awareness Day shines a national spotlight on ways customers can protect themselves from fraudulent activity that could jeopardize their electric service or financial information, especially during the holidays when many people are focused on family and social commitments.”\n\nCommon schemes involve imposters posing as ComEd employees to gain entry to a customer’s home to steal belongings. Some scammers, using technology to make their calls appear to come from a ComEd phone number, threaten to turn off a customer’s service unless they make a direct payment with a prepaid cash card. In other attempts, scammers send emails to businesses and request that they send ComEd payments to bogus payment sites.\n\nHere are some tips to help identify scams\n\n1. ComEd will never come to a customer’s home or business to:\n\n\nDemand a payment.\n\n\nAsk for immediate payment with a prepaid cash card.\n\n\nAsk for their ComEd account number or other personal information, such as a driver’s license number.\n\n\n2. ComEd will never call a customer to:\n\n\nAsk for their account number.\n\n\nAsk for personal information such as their Social Security number or bank information.\n\n\nAsk them to make a direct payment with a prepaid cash card.\n\n\n3. To identify an actual ComEd employee, remember:\n\n\nAll ComEd field employees wear a uniform with the ComEd logo, including shirt and safety vest.\n\n\nComEd employees visibly display a company ID badge with the ComEd logo and e...