Schaumburg police warn of phone scam

Schaumburg police issued a community alert Wednesday warning residents of a phone scam targeting ComEd customers.

Several Schaumburg residents reported calls from individuals purporting to be ComEd representatives attempting to collect late utility payments. These impersonators instruct customers to buy a prepaid credit card and call back to a different phone number with the personal identification number or other personal information for payment.

Offenders also use a tactic called "spoofing" to manipulate the caller ID displayed phone number so that it appears to be a ComEd number.

If you have concerns about the status of your account, call ComEd's customer service line at (800) 334-7661, police said. If you believe you've been the victim of a phone scam, call the Illinois Attorney General's office at (800) 386-5438 or visit its website and click on the "Protecting Consumers" link.