MONTICELLO – Sullivan County Sheriff Michael Schiff is warning business owners about a repeat scam that has been attempted over the past few days. Callers claiming to be from New York State Electric and Gas or Orange and Rockland Utilities are contacting businesses claiming that there is an overdue electric bill and threatening to cut off the power if the bill is not paid immediately.
The businesses are directed by the scammers to provide a credit card number, obtain a prepaid debit card or send money via Western Union.
Schiff said the scammers are so sophisticated that they may ask for a specific business owner by name and display the utility company’s phone number on caller ID. “We seem to get reports about this type of activity around the winter holidays,” the sheriff said. “The scammers target businesses that know their livelihood could be ruined if the electric is turned off.”
The scammers are often aggressive and sometimes “downright nasty or threatening,” Schiff said.
If someone gets a call like this, the sheriff said they should hang up and call the utility company at the phone number on their monthly bill or a number in the phone book or on their website.
Most importantly, Schiff said persons should never sent money via Western Union to anyone they have never met.
