With the holiday season approaching, PECO is reminding customers to stay alert for potential payment scams targeting utility customers. Scammers are using the holiday season to trick utility customers into providing their personal or financial information and making false payments under the pretense of keeping their service active.

Utility Scam Awareness Day was Nov. 15, and PECO is urging customers to be on the lookout for impersonators seeking to steal money and personal information. Scammers posing as PECO employees or an affiliate will call customers from a number that appears to be from PECO and threaten to turn off service unless payment is made.

PECO is offering the following tips: 

• PECO will never demand immediate payment, nor require one specific form of payment, such as a prepaid cards, cryptocurrency, or third-party digital money transfers. Learn more about PECO’s payment options.
• Never grant anyone access to your home who claims to be from PECO, or a contractor working for PECO, unless the person has proper identification.
• Do not provide your PECO account information or your PECO bill to anyone.
• Check your printed bill or log on to PECO.com or the PECO mobile app and check your account status, balances, payments, and any supplier information.

“During the holidays, people are busier and possibly more distracted, and scammers and imposters will take advantage of this,” said Kelly Colarelli, PECO’s Vice President of Customer Operations. “The best defense against scams is knowing what to look for and sharing scam-awareness tips with family and friends.”

Scammers sometimes find success with customers who may be behind on their bills and pressure them into sending immediate payment. For anyone facing difficulty paying their bill, PECO offers a number of payment assistance programs to help customers avoid late notices and disconnection.

Any PECO customer who believes they have been a target of a scam is urged to contact their local police, and call PECO immediately at 800-494-4000 to report the situation. Learn more about scam awareness from PECO.