Crime & Safety

Police Investigating Attempted Fraud on Businesses Along Asbury Avenue

Ocean City Police have received five reports of businesses along Asbury Avenue being targeted by people claiming to be from the electric company.

The Ocean City Police Department has received five separate reports of attempted fraud against businesses along Asbury Avenue, including one incident in which a business made a payment to a group portraying itself as the Electric Company.

In each instance, a woman calls the business and identifies herself as Katie Perez, a representative of the Electric Company, calling to collect on overdue bills, Ocean City Police said on Friday.

The woman will leave a phone number and extension for the business to call back. She tells the business to ask for either Kevin Miller or Alex White.

When they call back, the business will be told they have one hour to make a cash payment by phone either with a prepaid money card or PayPal account. They are told that if the payment is not made, the electricity will be turned off.

If any local business receives a call of this nature they should disregard the caller and contact the police department to report the incident. 

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Police advise businesses not to give out any confidential information to a person on the phone or send money to any unverified person or address before contacting the Ocean City Police Department at 609-399-9111.





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