Orange & Rockland is warning customers of an increase in scam calls.

The utility company says the scammer appears to call from a real Orange & Rockland phone number and demands immediate payment.

If the person refuses to pay, the caller threatens to shut off their service within the hour. But officials say this is a scam.

Orange & Rockland says it never calls customers to demand immediate payment. It does not accept payment by pre-paid debt cards like MoneyGram or any similar transfers.

Anyone who suspects they might be scammed should hang up and call police or Orange & Rockland customer service at 1-877-434-4100.