JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Scammers are at it again, and JEA wants customers to be alert and aware.
JEA’s Customer Center advisers are receiving reports from customers who have been contacted via phone, text and email by scammers who threaten disconnection of service unless instant payment is made. These tactics are used to target both local residents and businesses.
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JEA encourages customers to be familiar with these tips, which can help them to avoid becoming victims of a scam:
- Never provide or confirm personal information (Social Security number, date of birth) or financial information (banking account information, debit or credit card information) to anyone initiating contact with you, whether by phone, in person, or by email, claiming to be a utility company representative.
- Never purchase a prepaid card or respond via a mobile payment app, (Cash App, PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, etc.), to avoid service interruptions. JEA does not accept payments via Cash App, PayPal, Venmo and Zelle.
- Scammers can adapt their tactics quickly to be more effective. Along with phone calls, some scammers will use fake emails or text messages to encourage a quick response.
- Scammers can be very threatening. Customers should record the incoming number, hang up and call JEA at 904-665-6000.
- Customers who feel that they are in physical danger should first call 911.
If you are targeted by a scammer or are not sure if the call is legitimate, JEA urges you to call 904-665-6000. JEA will pursue the disconnection of fraudulent numbers as quickly as possible.
JEA, along with approximately 100 other U.S. and Canadian member utilities and associations, participates in Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS). The organization receives recognition for its efforts to stop scams that target electric, water and natural gas company customers. To date, thousands of toll-free numbers used by scammers against utility customers have been shut down. To learn more about the most common signs of a scam, visit jea.com/scams.