St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Department 611t6a

SHERIFF’S OFFICE ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY

KEVIN M. WELLS SHERIFF Correctional Facility Daniel Dominie – Jail (315) 379-2367 (315) 379-2263 - Fax

Public Safety Building 48 Court Street, Canton, New York 13617 Phone: (315) 379-2222 Fax: (315) 279-0335

Barb Carbone – Secretary to Sheriff

SCOTT F. BONNO UNDERSHERIFF Civil Division Mike MacCue-Chief Civil Officer (315) 379-2221 (315) 379-0162 - Fax

December 30, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and National Grid warns consumers of on-going payment scams. St. Lawrence County, NY - The St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office through the county’s Emergency Service Dispatch Center has received several calls from St. Lawrence County residents concerned about scam phone calls from people saying they are National Grid employees and wanting the consumer to go to a local store and obtain GreenDot Money Pak Cards to pay a bill, over the phone.

These utility bill scammers, showing frustrating persistence, continue to target National Grid customers demanding immediate payment for bill balances that customers likely do not owe. The fraudulent callers are claiming to be from National Grid and threatening customers with immediate service shut-off unless they provide payment, credit card or bank information that can be used to access the s. There have been numerous reports of these types of scams in several states over the past year and National Grid continues to advise customers to be wary of any caller who threatens service termination unless an immediate payment is made. Unsuspecting customers fall prey to these tactics and in some cases give up personal and bank information. National Grid does customers with past due balances by phone to offer payment options and to remind them that service shutoff is a possibility if they fail to pay their past due balance. If customers wish, they can arrange for a payment by check, credit card, or debit card if they speak directly to a customer service representative. Payment can also be made by credit card or debit card without a representative’s assistance. Customers should they are speaking with a National Grid representative. One way to do this is to have available the last five digits of their National Grid number and ask the caller to provide those numbers. If the

caller can’t provide the information, if you doubt the caller is a National Grid representative, or if have any questions about your balance, hang up immediately and call our customer center at 1-800-642-4272. Some National Grid customers have experienced a phone scam involving GreenDot Money-Pak cards. They receive a call from someone who claims to be collecting from National Grid who demands immediate payment by Green Dot Money-Pak and threatens that electricity and/or natural gas will be turned off. The Sheriff’s Office and National Grid urges customers to be cautious when speaking with callers and offers helpful tips on how to learn to protect yourself from these scams: 

National Grid will know your number. Never offer information to a caller

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Ask the caller to provide the last five digits of your National Grid number. If the caller doesn’t know your number and fishes for help, take charge and hang up immediately

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National Grid may ask for a payment over the phone, but will leave the method of payment to the customer

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National Grid will not you demanding immediate payment by wire transfer, Green Dot Money-Pak or any other pre-paid card service

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Never -- under any circumstances -- should you ever offer personal or financial information to someone who you cannot identify

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Be suspicious of callers who you cannot identify. Hang up and call them back if you are uncertain Every National Grid employee carries a photo ID card, and any contractor doing work for the company is also

required to carry ID. If someone requesting entry into your home or place of business does not show an ID card, don’t let them in and please call National Grid or your local law enforcement. Take charge and if a caller doesn’t know your number and fishes for help, hang up immediately. Customers who believe they have fallen victim to the scam should National Grid and local law enforcement officials immediately.

National Grid : Virginia Limmiatis with National Grid at 315-452-7708

St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office: 315-379-2222 or 379-2365