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Updated: Green Dot Card Scam Targeting Local Restaurants

March 3, 2014

Updates on the Green Dot Money Pack/Pepco Scam

RAMW has been in touch with Pepco and they are aware of the Green Dot Scam.  If you receive a call from a person claiming to be from Pepco or any other service provider it is important that you:

  • take precautions to verify the person is affiliated with the company, especially if that person is requesting an immediate credit card or cash payment.  Pepco will never ask a customer to provide a specific form of payment and always offers customers multiple payment options.
  • ask for official photo identification from any person who shows up at their door requesting information.  If proper identification cannot be produced, customers should notify their local law enforcement agency and the company the person claims to represent.
  • if you are impacted by this scam in any way, you should report this matter to local law enforcement. Customers may also contact Pepco Customer Care for tracking purposes at 202-833-7500.

Below is a message directly from Pepco.  

IMPORTANT REMINDER ABOUT “GREEN DOT” SCAM

Pepco continues to remind all customers about the ongoing “Green Dot” scam. This scam is impacting both residential and commercial customers, and Pepco continues to urge all customers to keep safety as a priority if any individual contacts them in person or by telephone claiming to represent the company.

Pepco is aware that scammers have targeted customers in our service territory, which includes the District of Columbia and Prince George’s and Montgomery counties in Maryland. These scammers have told customers either their electric service accounts are delinquent and that service will be shut off for non-payment or that a deposit is needed to allow for installation of a new meter. They tell the customer to buy a “Green Dot Money Pack” for a specific amount dictated by the scammer. Victims are then given instructions to call a scammer telephone number with the card’s account number and pin. Once the scammer obtains the card’s identifying information, the value is then downloaded, swept and stolen. Please note that these transactions are untraceable.

Many companies, including Pepco, may contact customers in person or by phone for various reasons. If someone claims to represent Pepco or another entity, it is important that customers take precautions to verify the person is affiliated with the company, especially if that person is requesting an immediate credit card or cash payment.

When addressing billing matters, Pepco will never ask a customer to provide a specific form of payment and always offers customers multiple payment options. Pepco advises all customers to ask for official photo identification from any person who shows up at their door requesting information. Pepco employees and contractors are required to carry official company-issued identification cards. If proper identification cannot be produced, customers should notify their local law enforcement agency and the company the person claims to represent.

Customers who have any doubt about the validity of a person’s claim to represent our company should call Pepco immediately at 202-833-7500.

Reporting:
If you are impacted by this scam, you should report this matter to local law enforcement. Customers may also contact Pepco Customer Care for tracking purposes at 202-833-7500.

 

Related Issues & Advocacy Categories:
Jurisdiction:
Maryland
Virginia
Washington DC