Don't fall for it: Scammers impersonating BGE amid summer heat. Here's how

PROGRAMS. WHAT A SIGHT! THERE. YES, WELL, SCAMMERS LISTEN TO THIS. THEY ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS SUMMER HEAT BY THREATENING TO TURN OFF PEOPLE’S POWER IF YOU DON’T PAY THEM. THIS IS SCARY. B.G.E. WANTS CUSTOMERS TO STAY VIGILANT TO AVOID THESE ENERGY RELATED SCHEMES. YEAH. 11 NEWS REPORTER TOMMIE CLARK SPOKE WITH THE UTILITY AND A MARYLANDER WHO CURBED A FAKE CALL. IT JUST REALLY SAD THAT SOMEONE WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT SITUATION WITH HOW HOT IT WAS YESTERDAY, TUESDAY, SCOTT LUCAS RECEIVED A CALL FROM A 301 NUMBER GENTLEMAN STATING HE WAS WORKING FOR BEA GADDY AND MY PAYMENT WAS PAST DUE. AND IF I DIDN’T MAKE PAYMENT, IT WOULD BE, UM, MY ACCOUNT WOULD BE SHUT DOWN, THE ELECTRICITY BE SHUT OFF IN 15 MINUTES. LUCAS FIGURED OUT IT WAS A SCAM CALL AND STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS. THAT’S WHEN THE SCAMMER HUNG UP. WHEN HE TRIED TO CALL THEM BACK, IT WOULDN’T GO THROUGH. AND ACTUALLY MADE ME ANGRY BECAUSE YESTERDAY WAS LIKE 102 DEGREES OUTSIDE. AND THEY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE. MY MOM’S A SENIOR, MY DAD’S A SENIOR, AND I GET PHONE CALLS FROM THEM ALL THE TIME, BUT SCAMS. AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A SCAM AS LEGITIMATE B.G.E. PHONE OPERATORS WORK WITH CUSTOMERS, IMPERSONATORS ARE ALSO PICKING UP THE PHONE. THEY’RE TARGETING MARYLANDERS. IN RECENT YEARS, B.G.E. HAS SEEN AN INCREASE IN REPORTS OF CALLS LIKE THIS. MANY POSING AS THE UTILITY BY SPOOFING A PHONE NUMBER, SCAMMER BECOMES ANGRY AND IRRITABLE AND IS REALLY PUSHY. OUR CALL CENTER CARE CENTER EMPLOYEES ARE NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GOING TO BEHAVE THAT WAY WITH A CUSTOMER ON THE PHONE. THEY’RE NOW REMINDING FOLKS B.G.E. WOULD NEVER MAKE A SINGLE PHONE CALL THREATENING SUCH CLAIMS. THERE IS A VERY LONG PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW BY LAW, BY REGULATION, WHEN SOMEONE ENTERS COLLECTIONS TO DISCONNECT THEM, CUSTOMERS ARE NOT GOING TO HEAR FROM US THE FIRST TIME WITH A THREAT TO SHUT OFF THEIR POWER. IT’S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. B.G.E. SAYS. TO TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. IF SOMETHING SEEMS OFF WITH THE CALL, HANG UP AND BOTH INFORM POLICE AND B.G.E. FOR MORE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION, GO TO WBAL, TV DOT COM. FOR NOW DOWN

Scammers are taking advantage of the summer heat by threatening to turn off people's power if they don't pay up.Baltimore Gas and Electric wants customers to stay vigilant to avoid energy-related schemes.Scott Lucas told 11 News he curbed one of those fake calls on Tuesday."It's just really sad someone would take advantage of that situation with how hot it's been," Lucas told 11 News.Lucas said he received a call from a phone number with a 301 area code around 3 p.m."The gentleman stated he was working for BGE and my payment was past due, and if I didn't make payment, my account would be shut down, the electricity shut off in 15 minutes," Lucas told 11 News.When Lucas figured out it was a fake call and started asking questions, the scammer hung up. When Lucas tried to call them back, the call wouldn't go through."It actually made me angry because, yesterday, it was, like, 102 degrees outside, and people take advantage. My mom's a senior, my dad's a senior, and I get phone calls from them all the time with scams, and I thought it was a scam," Lucas told 11 News.As legitimate BGE phone operators work with customers, impersonators are also picking up the phone, targeting Marylanders. In recent years, BGE has seen an increase in reports of similar calls, many involving scammers posing as the utility by spoofing a phone number."Scammers become angry and irritable and are really pushy. Our care center, call center employees are never going to behave that way with a customer on the phone," BGE spokesman Nick Alexopulos told 11 News.BGE is reminding customers that it would never make a single phone call threatening such claims."There is a very long process we have to follow by law, by regulation -- when someone enters collections -- to disconnect (electricity service). Customers are not going to hear from us the first time with a threat to shut off their power. It's just not going to happen,"Alexopulos told 11 News.BGE recommends customers trust their instincts. If a call does not seem like is is from the utility, hang up and report it to police, as well as to BGE online or by calling 800-685-0123. Anyone struggling with their BGE bill can seek its energy assistance programs, which includes an assistance finder tool to help customers through temporary or extended financial hardship.

BALTIMORE —

Scammers are taking advantage of the summer heat by threatening to turn off people's power if they don't pay up.

Baltimore Gas and Electric wants customers to stay vigilant to avoid energy-related schemes.

Scott Lucas told 11 News he curbed one of those fake calls on Tuesday.

"It's just really sad someone would take advantage of that situation with how hot it's been," Lucas told 11 News.

Lucas said he received a call from a phone number with a 301 area code around 3 p.m.

"The gentleman stated he was working for BGE and my payment was past due, and if I didn't make payment, my account would be shut down, the electricity shut off in 15 minutes," Lucas told 11 News.

When Lucas figured out it was a fake call and started asking questions, the scammer hung up. When Lucas tried to call them back, the call wouldn't go through.

"It actually made me angry because, yesterday, it was, like, 102 degrees outside, and people take advantage. My mom's a senior, my dad's a senior, and I get phone calls from them all the time with scams, and I thought it was a scam," Lucas told 11 News.

As legitimate BGE phone operators work with customers, impersonators are also picking up the phone, targeting Marylanders. In recent years, BGE has seen an increase in reports of similar calls, many involving scammers posing as the utility by spoofing a phone number.

"Scammers become angry and irritable and are really pushy. Our care center, call center employees are never going to behave that way with a customer on the phone," BGE spokesman Nick Alexopulos told 11 News.

BGE is reminding customers that it would never make a single phone call threatening such claims.

"There is a very long process we have to follow by law, by regulation -- when someone enters collections -- to disconnect (electricity service). Customers are not going to hear from us the first time with a threat to shut off their power. It's just not going to happen,"Alexopulos told 11 News.

BGE recommends customers trust their instincts. If a call does not seem like is is from the utility, hang up and report it to police, as well as to BGE online or by calling 800-685-0123.

Anyone struggling with their BGE bill can seek its energy assistance programs, which includes an assistance finder tool to help customers through temporary or extended financial hardship.

Don't fall for it: Scammers impersonating BGE amid summer heat. Here's how

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