Philadelphia residents are being hit with a wave of aggressive phone calls from scammers who threaten to shut off their power unless they pay up on the spot. The callers spoof PECO’s real phone number, sound official, and then crank up the pressure, sometimes ordering victims to move cash through neighborhood drugstores using barcodes. The entire script is built to spark panic so people pay before they pause to check their actual bills.
One local customer, Paul Friedman, told NBC10 Philadelphia that a caller displaying PECO’s 1-800 number warned his power would be cut at 2 p.m. unless he paid immediately. The person on the line even rattled off his correct account number before instructing his wife to deposit cash at a CVS using a barcode. According to the station, PECO has logged 126 scam reports so far in 2026, and the company confirmed the number that appeared on Friedman’s phone was spoofed. It is the latest entry in a growing list of impersonation schemes aimed at local utility customers.
PECO's warning
PECO stresses that it will never require payment by gift cards, prepaid credit cards, bank transfers, cryptocurrency or other money-transfer services, and it will not call you to offer help managing your energy use, according to PECO. If anything about a call feels off, the utility urges customers to hang up, sign in at peco.com to review their account, or call PECO directly at 1-800-494-4000. Through its online portal, the company also outlines payment-assistance programs for customers who are struggling with bills.
How the scam works
These schemes typically start with caller ID spoofing so the incoming number looks exactly like PECO’s main line. Scammers then ratchet up the urgency, naming a tight shutdown deadline, invoking a supposed supervisor, and insisting that payment must be made immediately. Reporting by The Philadelphia Inquirer shows that scammers have previously piggybacked on real billing changes and have steered victims toward ATMs, CVS kiosks and other retail payment points where money is harder to claw back. The playbook can sound convincing enough that many people, particularly older residents, feel they have no choice but to comply.
What to do if you get a call
If someone calls demanding immediate payment, hang up. Do not share your PECO account number, Social Security number, bank details or credit card information with an unsolicited caller. Instead, check your balance through the PECO online portal and contact the company using the customer-service number printed on your bill. Customers who cannot afford a payment can ask about repayment plans instead of scrambling to pay on the spot, NBC10 Philadelphia reports. If you are targeted, you can help investigators by filing a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3 and with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and by contacting local police if you lost money.
Where to call
Anyone who is unsure about a call can log into peco.com or contact PECO at 1-800-494-4000 to verify account status, explore payment options and review the company’s scam alerts. For broader consumer help, Pennsylvania residents can call the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s consumer hotline at 1-800-692-7380 or visit the PUC for complaint and assistance resources. Keep records of what happened, including the incoming number, time of call, any receipts and barcode or confirmation numbers, since that documentation can help investigators and financial institutions track and possibly freeze stolen funds.
