[RP TownTalk] Beware of Scammers asking for your Pepco Bill

[Dan Behrend]

Beware of people coming through the neighborhood asking to see your Pepco
bill.

Two guys wearing Direct Energy clothing came to my house (4500 block of
Riverdale Road) a little after 6pm asking to see my Pepco bill.  They said
that they worked for Direct Energy and that Pepco had contracted with
Direct Energy to verify something about the billing in the area. They
claimed Pepco sent out inserts with my last bill alerting me that Direct
Energy would be coming to my house.

When they couldn't produce ID or business cards, I told them I would check
it out online. I did a quick search on Pepco's site, found nothing, and
then notified the Riverdale Park Police.

I remembered hearing about this type of scam where 3rd party electricity
suppliers engage in these sorts of unethical practices -
http://wamu.org/news/morning_edition/12/02/09/pepco_impersonators_hit_columbia_heights
.

If you show the person your bill, they write down your account information
and then switch your service over to a different supplier.

Pepco had a 30+ minute wait to speak to a customer service representative,
but eventually called me back. The customer service representative that I
spoke with said it is a problem customers encounter, but that it is not
illegal. She recommended that I contact the Maryland Public Service
Commission if I want to file a complaint.

Dan Behrend
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