BEWARRE of the very latest elaborate and fairly-well-played phone scam by a bunch of soon-to-be-felons posing as employees of the Edison Company. Someone who clearly has access to customer service recors (meaning its an inside job) calls your business identifying himself as Mike Landers with the Edison Co "Disconnection Team", advising that his crew is required to disconnect service for delinquent bills. He inquires if you have ever been disconnected before, and urges you to make immediate cash payment at an authorized payment center with an hour to avoid being trurned off.
When I was called by these guys at work this morning, they had my business address even though I had not given it to them, and then gave me a toll free number to call to arrange to make payment (800 931 1917). Calling that number resulted in JOSH idenitfying himself as being a Customer Service Representative who would be "happy" to arrange assistance in order to get the matter starightened out. Whenever I questioned the issue, I was "transferred" (but not really) to another guy who sounded pretty darn similar to Josh!), who continued the scam, ultimately resulting in their advice that I go to an authorized payment center (such as RiteAid or CVS) to buy a prepaid debit card and then call them back to make the final payment (they said we owed $921.57).
Despite the intense questioning I put these through, the never broke character, insisting they were legitimate the entire time (although one of the nudniks made the mistake of saying they were going to "remove the meter" and terminate service if the bill was not paid). Also, my offer to pay the bill by check or credit card over the phone was dismissed as they said it would NOT POST IN TIME to prevent disconnection! I have confirmed with Edison Company that our account is not delinquent and that these guys are frauds, and I am forwarding this complaint to the local police if and when I have time away from business matters.
They are such total scumbags, and while efforts will be made to pierce the anonimity of the 800 number to locate them and put them in prison, my feeling is that they will likely continue scamming until they move on elsewhere to prey upon people.
Mike Landers Reviews
BEWARRE of the very latest elaborate and fairly-well-played phone scam by a bunch of soon-to-be-felons posing as employees of the Edison Company. Someone who clearly has access to customer service recors (meaning its an inside job) calls your business identifying himself as Mike Landers with the Edison Co "Disconnection Team", advising that his crew is required to disconnect service for delinquent bills. He inquires if you have ever been disconnected before, and urges you to make immediate cash payment at an authorized payment center with an hour to avoid being trurned off.
When I was called by these guys at work this morning, they had my business address even though I had not given it to them, and then gave me a toll free number to call to arrange to make payment (800 931 1917). Calling that number resulted in JOSH idenitfying himself as being a Customer Service Representative who would be "happy" to arrange assistance in order to get the matter starightened out. Whenever I questioned the issue, I was "transferred" (but not really) to another guy who sounded pretty darn similar to Josh!), who continued the scam, ultimately resulting in their advice that I go to an authorized payment center (such as RiteAid or CVS) to buy a prepaid debit card and then call them back to make the final payment (they said we owed $921.57).
Despite the intense questioning I put these through, the never broke character, insisting they were legitimate the entire time (although one of the nudniks made the mistake of saying they were going to "remove the meter" and terminate service if the bill was not paid). Also, my offer to pay the bill by check or credit card over the phone was dismissed as they said it would NOT POST IN TIME to prevent disconnection! I have confirmed with Edison Company that our account is not delinquent and that these guys are frauds, and I am forwarding this complaint to the local police if and when I have time away from business matters.
They are such total scumbags, and while efforts will be made to pierce the anonimity of the 800 number to locate them and put them in prison, my feeling is that they will likely continue scamming until they move on elsewhere to prey upon people.