State attorney general looking into RG&E customer service number after News10NBC investigation
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ROCHESTER, N.Y. After a News10NBC investigation, State Attorney General Letitia James is looking into how a toll-free number connected to RG&E was taken over by scammers.
News10NBC Investigative Reporter Jennifer Lewke revealed Wednesday that a TTY customer service number printed on all RG&E bills is fraudulent. Instead of connecting customers to the utility, it connects them to scammers. Those scammers then offer a gift card or voucher for the “billing or outage” trouble and ask for a customer’s bank account information to process the fake offer.
Here’s Investigative Reporter Jennifer Lewke’s story on the scam: To watch, click here.
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello requested the investigation after seeing the News10NBC report. You can watch News10NBC’s interview with Bello here.
RG&E has released the following statement:
“RG&E recently learned that a number that was printed on the back of RG&E bills was used by a potential scammer. The company took immediate action to remove the number and launched an aggressive customer alert campaign to warn our customers. RG&E will continue to take further action to protect our customers.”
The company asks any customers who require use of a TTY line to dial 711 for assistance.
Anyone who believes they have been a victim should report it to the AG’s office by calling (800) 771-7755 or submitting a complaint here.
The NYS Department of Public Service tells News10NBC, “We will remain alert to assist consumers if such complaints are received. Utility customers who have concerns or issues with their utility service are encouraged to contact the PSC at www.dps.ny.gov/complaints or 800-342-3377 to determine what responsibility, if any, would be borne by the utility. Staff closely examines complaints once filed.”
More about RG&E billing issues:
- County Executive Bello speaks on RG&E scam number (March 17)
- RG&E’s toll free TTY number goes to scammers (March 16)
- Palmyra family gets $13K bill from NYSEG (Feb. 9)
- Public packs hearing on RG&E billing, customer service issues (Feb. 7)
- 7k RG&E bill turns into 8K bill credit which turns into a shut-off notice (Feb. 2)
- How to fight back against RG&E billing errors and shut-off notices (Feb. 2)
- Customers express frustration at virtual forums about RG&E billing issues (Feb. 1)
- Billing and customer service problems continue at RG&E (Jan. 24)
- Following News10NBC investigation, state regulators expand probe into RG&E and NYSEG (Dec. 28)
- Frustrated homebuilder encounters more problems with RG&E (Dec. 16)
- Greece housing development slowed over struggles to get RG&E power (Dec. 12)
- RG&E billing chaos continues (Nov. 30)
- New Business Spends 17+ Hours Trying to Get RG&E to Hook up Gas Line (Nov. 4)
- Business customers having issues with RG&E too (Oct. 28)
- NYS regulators launch new investigation into RG&E (Oct. 27)
- RG&E President: ‘We’re in the storm’ of customer service issues (Oct. 27)
- RG&E threatening to shut off customers for uninspected meters (Oct. 5)
- Lifespan Helping Elderly Customers Worried about High RG&E Bills (Sept. 23)
- RG&E president responds to billing issues and PSC penalty (Sept. 14)
- RG&E penalized $900,000 for missing bill service quality metric (Sept. 14)
- Hilton Man Gets $7,622 Bill from RG&E (Sept. 13)
- RG&E and NYSEG to begin installing smart meters across the region (Sept. 6)
- President of RG&E: “We’re working on ways to make billing more efficient” (Sept. 5)
- An Irondequoit man’s big RG&E bill spurs a call to News10NBC (Aug. 31)
- After months of no bills, pizza shop owner gets $6,168 RG&E bill (March 29)
- ‘We were shocked’: Marion family facing nearly $1K utility bill (Feb. 14)