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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

CHICAGO (Nov. 16, 2020) – As 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.

Since 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.

“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.”

Common 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.

Here are some tips to help identify scams

1. ComEd will never come to a customer’s home or business to:

• Demand a payment.

• Ask for immediate payment with a prepaid cash card.

• Ask for their ComEd account number or other personal information, such as a driver’s

license number.

2. ComEd will never call a customer to:

• Ask for their account number.

• Ask for personal information such as their Social Security number or bank information.

• Ask them to make a direct payment with a prepaid cash card.

Grant Park, IL

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