But this homeowner wasn’t fooled
Sam Soto says the scam has become more sophisticated. A caller on Monday morning, Nov. 2 claimed to represent Central Hudson. He said the Soto account was in arrears and there was a truck in the neighborhood disconnecting gas and electric for people with past due balances. The man demanded payment and said the truck would be at the Soto residence in 20 minutes.
Mrs. Soto took the call. She’s a school principal, but her building was closed on Monday due to two cases of COVID. When she questioned the representative, he gave her a number to call to confirm the information.
A moment later her daughter, a physical therapist, came home and announced that there was a Central Hudson truck in the neighborhood.
Was the threat legitimate? It seemed real.
The family pays its Central Hudson bills automatically. Mr. Soto assured his wife that their account was up to date. But he still called the number she was given. When he did, he heard a Central Hudson recording. It sounded authentic. But he knew better.
Playing along with the person on the phone, Mr. Soto offered to pay cash if someone would come to the house to pick it up. The scammer pretended to accept the offer. He suggested that the man in the truck would take the money.
Did the scammer know there was a Central Hudson truck in the neighborhood? Or was it a coincidence?
Mr. Soto called the utility’s customer service number (845-452-2700) and was told that the demand for money was a fraud. “We’re not disconnecting anyone now,” the customer service person told him.
We didn’t learn how the scammer wanted to be paid. Usually, the individual will ask for a money order or a gift card. Mr. Soto contacted the police, who explained that they couldn’t investigate because no money had changed hands. The homeowner then called the Local to share his experience with his neighbors. “The scam is stronger than ever,” he advised us.
