Abbeville police warn about business scam

Someone claiming to represent the City of Abbeville has contacted five local businesses, telling owners that their electricity will be shut off within the hour if delinquent accounts are not paid.
The Abbeville Police
Department is currently investigating the matter.
“No one has given money yet,” Abbeville Police Department Detective Leland Laseter said Tuesday morning.
Businesses have received similar calls from a man claiming to be “Edwin Lopez” with the city’s utility department. The calls come from (347) 349-6271. No one named Edwin Lopez is employed by the City of Abbeville. The 347 area code covers New York City.
“He is telling the businesses that their bill is delinquent,” Laseter explained. “He tells them that the city will be there within the hour to cut their utilities off if they do not come up with a certain amount of money.”
The man told two businesses that an error occurred during initial payment.
“He told one of the businesses that pays by check that their check could not be read by the machine,” Laseter said. “He said that they were sending the check back and that the payment be made in full to them. He (Lopez) requested that another business go to a local drug store and get a pre-paid card and give him the number.
“The city does not operate that way.”
Any customer of the City of Abbeville with a delinquent account will be contacted by Shirley Bertand from a 337 area code.
“It will be an Abbeville number and a person in Abbeville,” Laseter said. “They are not going to request payments by phone or by pre-paid card, or anything like that.”
To this point the businesses that have been targeted are located on Veterans Memorial Drive (La. 14 Bypass) and Charity Street.
“They could be on the Internet just picking businesses,” Laseter said. “So far it is just that area of town.”
Laseter urged any business that receives such a call to contact the Abbeville Police Department at (337) 893-2511.
“If an individual shows up at your business, requesting payment or attempting to turn off your power, contact us and request an officer” Laseter said. “If you can obtain a license plate number or a description of the person or vehicle in a safe manner, please do so.”