Business & Tech

Callers Spoof Utility Company to Scam Maryland Businesses

The Maryland Attorney General's office is warning businesses about a scam involving purported phone call from utility companies.

Suspected scammers are calling Maryland business claiming to work for a utility company that needs to install a $500 GPS meter, warn authorities.

Callers tell businesses the state has mandated the meter’s installation on all commercial properties, reports NBC Washington. The callers say the payment must be made within 30 minutes using a Green Dot MoneyPak card.

According to Attorney General Doug Gansler, the scammers are using a "spoofing" technology so a legitimate utility company's number shows up on caller ID.

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“Safety is our top priority, and we want to advise our customers to verify the identity of anyone claiming to represent Pepco,” Pepco region president Donna Cooper said.

The utility offers several payment options for customers and never advocates for a specific type of payment, Cooper told the TV station. 

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