Sheriff’s Office: Phone Scam Alert
Several Frederick County residents recently reported that they have received scam phone calls over the Halloween weekend. Residents received a phone call from a subject claiming to work with Potomac Edison. The subject inquired if anyone will be home on particular days in the upcoming week so that “technicians can come to the home”. Most residents recognized the suspicious nature of this call and hung up on the caller.
The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Community Services Section spoke with officials at Potomac Edison and they have confirmed that this is not an official contact by them and it is a scam. Potomac Edison advised that their personnel would never call a residence to inquire if anyone would be around as all calls for service are customer driven – meaning you call them for assistance. Potomac Edison does not make business calls on weekends and if there was an issue in a particular area they would be making personal contact with the residents.
Potomac Edison has a phone number that customers can call to check on the validity of Potomac Edison calls or personnel: 800-686-0011. Customers can also go to the Potomac Edison website at www.firstenergycorp.com, search “scam” and customers will be directed to a webpage that overviews electric company scams, important safety reminders and additional resources.
The Sheriff’s Office is reminding citizens to be on the alert for phone scams. Never tell an unknown caller when your home will be unoccupied or you could become the target of a burglary/theft. Additionally, never provide anyone with personal information such as bank accounts, pin numbers or Social Security numbers over the phone.
You must be logged in to post a comment.