Police Warn of Phone Scam

Several residents and local businesses have been the targets of an ongoing phone scam, according to police, who are warning people to be on the alert.

On Nov. 11, Special Effects, a beauty salon on Osborne Lane in East Hampton Village, received a call from a man claiming to represent PSEG Long Island and threatening to shut off  its power unless he was given a credit card to settle an unpaid balance. The salon, which does not have an unpaid balance, called PSEG directly to discuss the matter.

In Sag Harbor, Allen Fruitstone at Harbor Pets on Bay Street told police he had received suspicious phone calls about an allegedly overdue power bill on Friday afternoon. Police called the number back and got an answering machine.

Elam Law, who lives on Montauk Highway in Amagansett, said she received a request for $1,000 in MoneyPak cards from CVS on Nov. 12. When she called PSEG to confirm the request, they denied calling her.

Police are warning residents not to authorize payment or give payment information over the phone. PSEG Long Island does not request payment in this way, police said. The East Hampton Town Police Department took to its Facebook page to warn residents of the scam and advised them to call PSEG customer service at 800-490-0025.