A business owner in Allentown said she was targeted by thieves pretending to work for PPL Electric Utilities. Joni Landry said they threatened to shut off service if she didn’t give them money.
When the telephone rang at Landry's salon, the caller told her unless she bought a Green Dot Card and loaded it with $260, which was the amount of her PPL bill, the electricity at the business would be shut off.
"They have guys out in the field right now that are getting ready to turn off electric," Landry said.
She said she rushed to pay PPL, but the man called back and insisted she needed the Green Dot Card transfer, as well.
Landry said it all happened so fast, and as quickly as her money was gone, she realized she would never see it again.
"As soon as I walked in the door, it was like it all hit me," said Landry.
69 News decided to call the number.
"Thank you for calling Pennsylvania Power and Light," the caller said.
We spoke with the person Landry had talked with earlier this week, who called himself Jonathan Smith. He said Landry's account was paid in full.
"It says here your account was paid already ma'am," he said. "It's paid already. I have a confirmation number here of a payment."
We asked if this was PPL, and he claimed he was with PPL.
69 News called back.
"This is Chandi with 69 News in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and I'm sitting here with Joni, and she tells me you have some money from her from a Green Dot Card?
This time, the caller denied he was with PPL and claimed to be a collection agency that works with the company and then quickly hung up the phone.
Joe Nixon, who works for PPL, said he knows all too well about the Green Dot Card tricks.
"They are falsely told they have an overdue balance," Nixon said. "They are being threatened with shutoffs. First of all, that's not how PPL Electric Utilities conducts business."
Nixon said the company never accepts prepaid cards, and he wants everyone to know to call PPL first to make sure this doesn't happen to you.
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