The Crystal Lake Police Department recently received new reports of fraud or attempted fraud targeting the business community. For example, a subject calls the business and advises they are a representative of ComEd. The caller then advises the business of delinquent electric bill payments and if not paid immediately, the power to the business will be shut off. In order to pay the account balance, the caller advises they will accept payment over the phone by credit card or personal check. The subject provides a telephone number and requests a call back with the payment so the business can balance the account. To date, all of the incidents in Crystal Lake have targeted businesses.
The correct contact numbers for ComEd are:
Residential Customers 1-800-588-9477
Business Customers 1-877-426-6331
Or you can contact them via ComEd’s webpage at:
https://www.comed.com/Pages/default.aspx
As a reminder if someone calls and asks for personal information from you or asks you to pay anything you do not believe you owe, DO NOT PROVIDE the subject with any personal or credit information. If you believe it is an attempt to de-fraud you contact your local law enforcement agency and make a report. The Crystal Lake Police Department’s non-emergency telephone number is 1 (815)356-3620.
