ComEd smart meter scam

CHICAGO (WLS) -- If you haven't already, you will be getting a new smart meter soon. ComEd says the meter helps customers make more energy efficient choices through real-time readings. However, con-artists are trying to cash in on the new technology.

After 20 years of running a restaurant, the owner of The Continental in Buffalo Grove, Ill., said he almost lost $1,000 to a woman on the phone.

"The person was demanding a payment of $999.99," Pete Panayiotou said. She threatened that electricity at Panayiotou's restaurant would be shut off if he didn't pay to upgrade to a ComEd smart meter in a few hours.

"They wanted that payment before 9:30 in the morning," Panayiotou said. "If it processes after 1 p.m., I would have to wait 72 hours and maybe seven days. So I was really I was really, really scared. I thought for a second I had to make the payment."

Panayiotou said he almost sent the money on a pre-paid card, but first called ComEd and Tom Kocsis of Save Wave Energy.

"The scammers may have felt that they could possibly pull the wool over somebody's eyes at this type of medium-size business," Kocsis said. He said dozens of his clients have had similar calls and threats.

Even if you have an alternative electric provider, ComEd is in charge of installing the smart meters for all customers. The upgrades will be paid for by customers via higher delivery fees.

"These scammers, they adjust their story with the latest and greatest of what's new and take advantage of that," Fidel Marquez, ComEd, said. "Absolutely not. We have a very specific outreach program when we are installing smart meters. There is a 90 day notification."

Senior Vice President Fidel Marquez said ComEd has gotten more than 50 calls about similar schemes. Four people have filed reports with the company.

"We are never going to demand that kind of payment right away. So this is a new twist to an old scam using the smart meter to use the reason to turn off the electric right away," Marquez said.

If you get a call like this, you should get as many details as you can, hang up and call ComEd. Even if the scammer is using spoofing technology to make the call, the Federal Trade Commission may be able to track them down with the phone number.

"The lady I talked to was very professional and very sweet she tried to be nice," Panayiotou said, "but then I called back a second time to say something wasn't right. They got a little bit aggressive."

Later that day, Panayiotou called back a third time to confront the scammers only to find the phone number was disconnected.

Consumers should remember that once money has been wired or numbers to a pre-paid card are sent, chances are that cash is gone.