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It has come to the attention of Chester Metropolitan District staff that residents of Chester County may be falling victim to a new scam. On the afternoon of May 18, 2016, a resident of the county received a telephone call at his business from an individual claiming to be a tax collector who threatened to condemn his well unless he provided $500 on a disposable credit card (in this case, a OneVanilla card from CVS) to pay taxes on a check which had bounced.

During a series of telephone calls, this person indicated he was with the tax office, the City of Chester, and Chester Metropolitan District. An 888 callback number was given, and the callers listed themselves as “Robert Green” and “Anthony Garcia”. One of the telephone calls he received showed Chester Metropolitan District as the caller [this is called “spoofing”. It can be done online for free and is typically used for prank calls, but has recently become popular for more sinister purposes such as these extortion scams].

CMD would like every resident of Chester County to be aware of the following:

  • CMD does not call individuals asking for payment.
  • We do not maintain, operate, condemn, or disconnect private well systems for any reason.
  • If a payment is due to CMD, it must be made in our office or through our online payment portal. We will never demand payment over the telephone.
  • If you receive a telephone call which appears to come from any government agency and you feel unsure of its legitimacy, do not share any personal information with the caller.
  • If you receive a phone call requesting money or making threats against your personal property or water service, hang up and call our office immediately.

Chester Metropolitan District is committed to serving our customers and protecting the residents and businesses of Chester County. As always, CMD employees will be glad to answer any questions you may have about your water and wastewater service. Feel free to call us at any time Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM at (803) 385-5123 or come by our office at 155 Wylie Street in Chester.