The New York State Police, National Grid have and NYSEG recently announced that scammers are back in action, calling homeowners and demanding immediate payment or their utilities will be shut off.

Police report the callers can be extremely persistent. The scammer are targeting folks all over the North Country.

From National Grid's Edward Hanover, Security Manager for New York:

"Some National Grid customers have experienced a phone scam involving GreenDot Money-Pak cards. They receive a call from someone who claims to be collecting from National Grid who demands immediate payment by Green Dot Money-Pak and threatens that electricity and/or natural gas will be turned off.

“National Grid does not ask customers to pay with Money-Pak cards,” Hanover said. “Remember that anyone who has the number on a Green Dot Money-Pak card has access to the funds on the card. Scammers don’t need the physical card, they need only the customer to give them the number.”

Some businesses and individuals in the Essex County area have reported they have fallen victim to this con, reports Major Richard Smith Troop B Commander.

You can read the NYSP release here, and the warnings from NYSEG here and National Grid, here.