Beware Brooklynites: "Slammers" may be back to scam you

By Lucy Cohen Blatter | November 19, 2015 - 9:59AM

"Slamming," a classic scam in which phony salespeople try to lure Con Edison and National Grid customers with promises of lower utility fees, is back in Brooklyn, according to South Slope News.

Here's how it goes down: Scammers pose as utility company representatives, ask to see your utility bill and promise lower rates. From there they often get account information and switch service without permission.

So be on alert if someone comes knocking on your door claiming they come from Con Ed. In fact, a Con Ed spokesperson tells South Slope News that the company doesn't send people to customers' doors asking to see bills. And if someone does this, you should ask for identification immediately.

You can also call 1-800-75-CONED to confirm the person is a company employee.

Sometimes these scams can happen over the phone, so be sure never to arrange payment or give out any account or personal information unless you're certain you're speaking to a Con Edison representative.

If you think you have been a victim of a scam, call your local police precinct precinct. And in fact, there's a complaint line set up by the New York State Department of Public Service to deal with this very issue.

PSA: A new online rental scam may be making the rounds, and not just on Craigslist

How not to get scammed on a NYC rental

Craigslist scam buster: Check airbnb.com before handing over the cash

Best of Brick: Anatomy of a Craigslist scam

11 reasons why that apartment is too good to be true

"Sophisticated business people" falling for $21,000 NYC sublet scam

Brick Underground articles occasionally include the expertise of, or information about, advertising partners when relevant to the story. We will never promote an advertiser's product without making the relationship clear to our readers.