Penelec Phone Scam Returns to Erie Area

Energy bill phone scams are back in our area. The scammers are posing as Penelec employees on the phone to cheat you out of your money.

In this latest wave, a caller posing as a Penelec employee says your last two payments haven't gone through, and that unless you pay up immediately, they will shut off your power.

Penelec's parent company, First Energy, says that's the first red flag.

"Penelec never calls a customer to demand payment, and Penelec will never demand immediate payment over the phone or in person," said Scott Surgeoner, a First Energy spokesperson.

Next, the scammer says you must make the payment using a "Green Dot" prepaid Visa or MasterCard debit card, which can be found at most drugstores.

"We never, ever demand immediate payment, especially not with a credit card or debit card that you purchase from your local convenience store," Surgeoner said.

Dr. Susan Stroup with the Summit Pet Hospital got one of the calls on Thursday afternoon. The scammers demanded that she pay $720 dollars within the next 45 minutes, or the power to her business would be shut off.

She didn't fall for it, but says the caller was quite convincing.

"He was every articulate, he could make an excuse for everything. So he was very believable in a way, but when he came up with the Green Dot thing, I said, 'You don't pay utilities in this way,'" she said.

First Energy says if you're a victim of the scam and are now struggling to pay legitimate electric bills, contact the company, and they will help you work out a plan.

The electric company urges people who get the scam call to report it to state police directly.

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