The Chester Metropolitan District was informed by a customer this morning of a new potential scam we believe to be targeting businesses in the Chester County Area. We believe these people are attempting to collect personal banking information using Chester Metropolitan District’s name.

Our customer’s business received a telephone call late yesterday afternoon regarding a returned check, and was given a long-distance call-back number. When the customer returned the call at 5:30 last night, she was told her check to Chester Metropolitan had been returned because of a “smudged routing number”, and the telephone attendant demanded she offer updated account information to clear the debt immediately or water service would be terminated at her place of business. She suggested that this may be a “scam”, and the attendant became angry and disconnected the call.

The Chester Metropolitan District would like all of its customers to be aware of this issue and to know that we would never handle an account this way. If you or someone you know receives a telephone call such as this, please hang up immediately and call our office to confirm your payment status. We also suggest contacting your bank to confirm your account has not been compromised.

If you believe you may be a victim of this program, please notify CMD, your bank, and the police as soon as possible. Be sure to make note of any names and telephone numbers which may have been involved.

Finally, we would like our customers to be aware of the following:

• CMD does not place telephone calls for returned checks. Customers whose checks have been returned will be notified by mail.

• We do not immediately disconnect service for a returned check unless the check is returned with an “Account Closed” notation. A return for insufficient funds or incorrect/illegible information will be given up to five (5) days to correct the error before disconnection occurs.

• All CMD telephone numbers are local numbers and will begin with either a 385, 581, or 377 prefix.

• Just as we are not able to give account information over the telephone, we currently do not request banking information over the telephone. Chester Metropolitan District does not use a collections agency.

• CMD does not disconnect service for non-payment after 5:00 PM. All service disconnections for non-payment are handled during our regular business hours.

• You do not have to dial a different telephone number after 5:00 PM to reach our answering service. Our main telephone number works twenty-four hours a day.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our office at (803) 385-5123.