The phone rings, you pick it up, and the person on the other end of the line says they’re from a trusted company that you actually do business with. In a lot of cases, you’d have no reason to assume that the person on the other end of the line was trying to scam you out of personal information or your hard-earned money.
Speaking with JEA on the phone is possible, but unfortunately, scammers are out their using the name to try and take advantage of consumers. Learning more about JEA phone call scams can help you avoid being a victim of fraudulent phone calls.
JEA Won’t Call for Personal Information
JEA customers who have accounts and pay their bills supply some information to the company for records and payment. However, this information is always provided by the customer, not requested by the company itself.
JEA will not call you asking for credit card numbers, bank account numbers or your social security information. They won’t ask for your address or other location information either. It’s up to you to update any related payment or address information to keep your account with JEA current.
Disconnect Scams
JEA sends out notices weeks ahead of a service disconnection or stoppage to let people know their accounts are past due. The company will not call you demanding payment or making requests like in-person cash payments. JEA will also not provide short windows for payments as is common with scammers.
JEA will not send people to your home asking for payments either, nor will they schedule an in-person pickup of money through a phone call. Beware any caller who asks for payment on the spot. Do not provide them with your home address or any other personal information.
JEA Won’t Threaten You
Businesses like JEA pride themselves on professional customer service practices. This means written notices that are mailed to your home for things like payments or notices of past due or delinquent accounts. The company will not call and use threatening language or make you feel uncomfortable on the phone.
JEA will not call to make demands for payment so you can avoid facing consequences either. Companies like JEA will not call the police or do anything of that nature. If you get calls that are threatening, hang up immediately and report this to your local police. This is particularly important if they have information about your location at home or work.
Ask to Call Back
Some phone scams can seem very real. Scammers sadly get a lot of practice these days trying to take advantage of people. One way to figure out if a representative you’re speaking with is from JEA or not is to call back using a phone number that is public.
If you were talking to a scammer on the other end of the line, they’ll likely have a number that’s not affiliated with JEA at all. Don’t take their word for it when reaching them through a reputable number should be easy if they’re truly calling as a representative of JEA.
Nobody wants to get scammed, so staying vigilant and aware of who is calling you is essential. Use these simple tips to avoid being cheated or providing information that’s private and personal.
Many of these tips apply to scams outside of JEA as well, so use them if you get a suspicious call from any individual or business claiming to want information or money. Don’t let scammers take advantage of your hard work by scheming, threatening or enticing you out of the money that is rightfully yours.