A phone scam posing as Central Hudson is in full force, and this one is pretty sneaky. The scam phone call comes in as a recorded message with the voice of a woman, similar to the female recorded voice at the actual Central Hudson when you call for help or to pay your bill via phone. The message advises you that your house is scheduled to have the electricity shut off today because of nonpayment on your account. The details are below of what to expect and how to avoid this scam, but first, a poem:

‘Twas the day after Christmas, when all through the house,
The children were running, even the mouse;
The bills were arriving, put away with care,
In hopes that the money soon would be there;
The bill pile and to-do list were spread on the bed,
While visions of what would get paid when spun in parents’ heads,
Mama with her coffee answered a phone call with a snap,
And heard "This is Central Hudson - your electricity is scheduled to be shut off today" causing her to spill her coffee on her lap.
She arose with a clatter,
To call the recommended number to see what was the matter.
And almost paid the bill in a flash,
But thanks to a technical difficulty, they didn't get her cash.

How The Scam Phone Call Works

The phone call comes in, and “Central Hudson” flashes up on your phone screen’s caller ID. If you answer, because why wouldn’t you answer a call from Central Hudson, the recorded voice that sounds like the usual recorded voice at Central Hudson tells you that electricity to your house is scheduled to be shut off today due to nonpayment, and to call this number: (800) 503-2410.

A few things might run through your mind, which helps this scam work. These are mentioned here to remind you to ignore those assumptions when a phone call like this comes in while you are in a vulnerable place, like after the holidays or at tax time:

• “I thought I just got my bill… Don’t they wait like two billing cycles before going down the cut-off-your-power route? How can they do this the day after Christmas?”

• “I guess I better call the number… When people are late - wait, but am I late? - do they put your ability to make payment in a special place, like with a special billing department who is connected to the guys in the trucks going around shutting off people’s power? I don’t know! I better call immediately!”

The phone number at the time was working. The recorded voice sounded just like the regular recorded voice at Central Hudson. They have options to press numbers to report a power outage, or pay a bill. Fortunately, the option to pay a bill didn’t work, and disconnected the call.

Hang up immediately when a deceptive phone call like this comes in, and call Central Hudson directly to inquire about your account, and report the scam.

Hours later, the scam phone number had been disconnected.

Central Hudson’s Tips On How To Spot A Phone Scam

Central Hudson can confirm in their call logs if they called you or not. When you call directly to pay your bill, they can confirm that your bill is indeed not even late, that they did not call you, and that your payment was received, if you made it directly through their own phone system.

Phone scams can come in the form of directives to create money orders or store-bought debit cards. A list of other known Central Hudson scams are available here at Central Hudson’s website.

Watch For Phony Porch Peddlers

In addition, there are phony peddlers going around front porches of homes to tempt people into leaving Central Hudson for a “clean energy source.” This is also a scam, and A Little Beacon Blog will be following up with an article and pictures about the scam shortly.