This week we received a phone call at the store from someone claiming to be from ComEd, and that they were shutting off our power in 45 minutes for non-payment of our bill. So the staff called me in a panic. Fish doesn't last very long with no refrigeration. I had paid the bill by direct deposit, but called the number they had provided to see what was up. Staff told me that the person who called initially had a strong Eastern European accent, but the men who answered the 888 number he had provided had Caribbean accents. There was a recorded message saying it was the ComEd "service cut off department," and if I knew my party's extension, to enter it at any time. It did sound somewhat legit.
The person I spoke to said that they (ComEd) were changing meters and computer systems, and had no record of our payment. I told him that our bank clearly showed we'd paid and that they'd received it. I must have mentioned the amount, because he instructed me to "get cash" for that amount as they couldn't accept a check or credit card, and that I should go to a nearby Walgreens to make the payment, but that I should "call him back from the parking lot" for further instructions. I said I was not willing to walk around with that amount of cash, and that it sounded to me like some kind of scam. He said the only way to stop the shut-off was to get the cash and go to the Walgreens to buy a cash card. He assured me that any double payments would be credited back to our bank, and that they'd give us a 30% discount on our next 3 months of service for our "inconvenience." (That's one part of the scam I'm sorry isn't true.)
I went along with him, and as soon as I hung up, I called ComEd, who confirmed that our bill was paid. They recorded all the information I had about the scammers to let their illegal activity investigators know. I let our staff know it was a scam, and instructed them to call 911 if anyone shows up. I also called the local Evanston police department, thinking that they would want to go to Walgreens and arrest the person who evidently would have shown up to take my "payment," but they just said that they don't handle scams. It's theft, so why not?
The scammers did actually call the store again, threatening the shut off, and the clerk who answered the phone told him that we'd spoken to ComEd, and that if he still wanted to come over we'd be glad to discuss it with him. He told the clerk to "kiss my ass" and hung up.
I don't know how they got information about our ComEd account, nor why they targeted us - but it was extremely unnerving. I'm sure that they're calling many people, probably focusing on the elderly, and scaring them into sending cash cards to some PO Box somewhere. Hopefully not meeting them in parking lots.
I went on line and reported the incident to the FTC - they have a form for you to fill out with all the details of what took place. We didn't give them any money, but I don't know what other information they have about us - they now have our home phone number as well as my cell number, which makes me want to get a new phone number.
So the moral of my story - don't believe people who call to threaten you with something like this - what I should have done is call ComEd first, not the 888 number that they provided. It would have saved me a lot of aggravation. All the utilities have numbers you can call on your bill, or you can look it up on line. ComEd's billing department told me that 1) Shut off notices come in the mail long before anything happens, and 2) A live person will not call you, you get a robo-call asking you to call ComEd.
This phishing story has a somewhat happy ending - we didn't give them any money, but they still know stuff about us - I wonder if they somehow hacked into the ComEd computer system. We have to be ever vigilant these days! Computers are a curse as well as a blessing.
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