Elderly Peabody woman tips off police to scam involving fake phone calls from light plant

PEABODY-An elderly Peabody woman saved herself from being a victim of credit card theft Tuesday night after receiving a call from a man claiming to be an employee of the Peabody Municipal Light Plant.According to the plant?s public relations representative Judy Meserve, a man called the woman?s home around 6 p.m. asking for payment in excess of $500.?He told her that unless she provided payment via credit or debit over the phone, her electricity would be shut off by 9 a.m. (the next morning),” said Meserve. “He sounded very official.”The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous out of concern for her own safety, called the Municipal Light Plant after realizing things just didn?t seem right. Meserve said that the woman knew she couldn?t possibly owe such a large amount, so that?s what triggered her to end the phone call.?The upside is that she did call us and let us know,” said Meserve. “The downside is that she probably engaged herself in conversation longer than she should have with him?It goes without saying that you should not ever carry out a conversation with someone like this. Be short and assertive.”Meserve wants the community to know that business such as making payments would never be carried out over the phone, let alone after normal business hours, by any city utility company.?Obviously, someone is out there trying to take advantage of someone,” she said.The victim refuses to talk to police, but a report has been filed by Meserve. “It had to stop there because nothing can be done without a victim willing to testify.”A police officer was not available for comment.Both the police department and the light plant are working with the limited information they have in hope of solving this case. If anyone has more information regarding this or other related incidents, call the Peabody Police Department at 978-538-6300, or the Peabody Municipal Light Plant at 978-573-1150.