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Customers can always hang up on calls that they fear are illegitimate and call Central Hudson at 845-452-2700 to confirm.
“Be aware of attempts by scammers to obtain your account or banking information by offers or threats regarding your electric and natural gas service,” said Charles A. Freni, President and CEO of Central Hudson.
The current most prevalent scam, according to the energy provider, begins with a recorded message offering credit for bill overpayment. An operator will then ask for the victim's bank account information to allegedly directly deposit money.
Central Hudson employees, the company said, will never use unmarked vehicles. Customers are asked to take note of caller ID on calls that are allegedly from Central Hudson
"Central Hudson follows all regulations in communicating with customers about their accounts," Freni said. "Employees and authorized contractors drive marked vehicles and carry photo identification, and will always display it upon request."
Other prevalent scams, according to the company, are as follows:
- Scammers providing fake routing numbers to victims, claiming that they need to pay utility bills, receive a credit or obtain federal assistance.
- Calls demanding a separate payment to replace a utility-related device or meter
- Text messages attempting to trick mobile phone users into sharing personal information used for identity theft
- Bogus emails that resemble utility bills, potentially featuring the Central Hudson logo
Central Hudson will never ask customers to purchase prepaid credit cards to avoid service disconnection or shutoff; the company said that they will provide customers with multiple payment methods, including online payments, payments by phone, automatic bank drafts, mail or in-person.
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