POUGHKEEPSIE –Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation Thursday advised their customers to be aware of a potential scam by persons posing as Central Hudson employees seeking credit card information over the telephone and via text messages.

Several calls were made to residents indicating a balance due on their Central Hudson account, or offering a discount on future utility bills for a one-time payment.

Several residents also received text messages on their cell phones advising them to reply with a “yes” or “no” to obtain a discount on their utility bills.

These calls and text messages are neither authorized nor conducted by Central Hudson, and customers receiving these are warned not to provide their utility account or credit card information.

Customers who are contacted may wish to note the caller ID information and report the incident to their local police department.