PSE&G sounds holiday alarm as ruthless scammers target New Jersey homes

⚠️ New Jersey’s largest utility warns customers about aggressive holiday scams involving fake threats, spoofed caller IDs, and pressure tactics.

⚠️PSE&G reminds residents it never demands immediate payment or requests gift cards, crypto, or prepaid cards.

⚠️Customers are urged to stop, verify, and remain alert after recent cases where victims lost thousands to impostor utility scams.

The largest utility company in New Jersey is warning its customers about common holiday scams and offering tips on how to protect themselves.

Holiday utility scams surge across New Jersey, PSE&G warns

During the busy holiday season, scammers often impersonate trusted companies, including utilities, using high-pressure tactics to trick customers into making immediate payments or sharing personal information, PSE&G said in a released statement.

“Safety is our top priority, and that includes protecting our customers from fraud. Scammers use convincing tactics, fake caller IDs, urgent threats, and emotional pressure to push people into paying quickly,” said Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer for PSE&G, Dave Johnson.

Common PSE&G scam tactics targeting customers

There are four tactics scammers frequently use, PSE&G said in the statement.

Impersonate Utility Representatives – They will threaten to disconnect services within an hour if immediate payment is not made.

Demand Payment – They will tell customers to use prepaid debit cards, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or digital payment apps to make payments. PSE&G does not accept these payments, nor would it ever request them.

Spoof Caller IDs or Email Addresses – Scammers will do this to appear legitimate, sometimes even displaying “PSE&G” on your phone.

Use Emotional Manipulation and Urgency – This tactic is to pressure customers into paying before verifying.

How to tell what’s real and what’s a scam

PSE&G cautions it will never send a single, last-minute notice before disconnection. It will also never demand a specific form of payment or pressure customers with threats.

Customers have multiple secure options to pay their bills, including online, via the PSE&G mobile app, by text, phone, mail, or at a customer service center.

ALSO READ: Pop-up scam nearly costs NJ man $95,000

PSE&G’s top tips to protect yourself from scammers

Stop and verify – If you receive a call, text, or email demanding immediate payment, hang up and contact PSE&G directly at 1-800-436-PSEG (7734).

Know what we will and won’t ask – A genuine PSE&G rep will identify themselves, reference your account details, and speak only with the “Customer of Record.” If that person is not available, they’ll leave a message asking for a call back. But they will never request payment on the spot.

Be cautious of unusual requests – PSE&G will never ask for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.

Look for red flags – Poor grammar and suspicious links are red flags

Don’t be pressured – PSE&G will never threaten or pressure customers to make immediate payments to avoid service interruption.

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen customers lose hundreds or even thousands of dollars to these scams. The best defense is awareness. By staying alert, trusting your instincts, and verifying before you act, you can protect yourself and avoid being misled by scammers,” Johnson said.

PSE&G is New Jersey’s oldest and largest utility, serving over 1.8 million gas customers and 2.2 million electric customers.

They cover parts of 14 counties, including Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, and Union, with prime city coverage in Allendale, Bayonne, Camden, Clifton, East Orange, Elizabeth, Hackensack, Jersey City, Newark, and Paterson.

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