Recently there has been an increase in scams both in our region and nationally. To protect you from being a victim of a scam, please keep the following information in mind.
Most scams threaten customers with disconnection of electric service if they do not make a same-day payment. Customers may be contacted either by phone or in-person at their home or business.
Customers are advised to never allow an unexpected visitor to enter their home. Always call Eversource directly to confirm any offers or requests.
Immediately report any incidents of potential fraud or identity theft to local law enforcement.
Eversource almost never makes unsolicited house visits. Exceptions might include a collections activity for past due balances (which includes written, advanced notice for any customer schedule for disconnection), accessing our equipment to ensure safe and effective operation, or if there is another safety concern.
Examples of Recent Scam Attempts:
- Callers say they represent the Billing Department and tell customers their power will be shut off if they don’t make a payment by midnight.
- Callers instruct customers to make a payment by purchasing a “Green Dot” VISA card. Customers are then asked to call another phone number where information is obtained from the credit card and the monetary value is removed.
- A business customer reported receiving a call advising him that “the system crashed after the hurricane” and that they would need to make a payment over the phone to maintain service. Other callers told customers we did not receive payment because of the hurricane, so we will disconnect their service immediately unless they make a payment.
- A caller told a customer there is a problem with the meter, and she is being overcharged. The caller instructed the customer to purchase a prepaid credit card for $200. The caller then called back later and advised the customer that the payment isn’t showing up, so she needs to purchase another card for $300. The caller assures the customer we will fix the meter and refund the money.
- A scammer knocked on a customer’s door. He was wearing a badge that was hard to read and had a poor copy of what appeared to be an electric bill. He said several customers in the area were complaining that the rates were too high, so he wanted to check the meter to find out the customer’s usage.
- An unsolicited salesman knocked on a customer’s door stating there was a problem with her utilities and she had failed to respond to urgent messages. The salesman insisted that he could get her a rebate on her current energy bill and demanded to see a copy of the bill.
In addition, please remember the following tips:
- Never provide personal financial or utility account information to any unsolicited individual, in person, on the phone, or online, even if the individual seems legitimate.
- Eversource would never ask you to purchase prepaid cards. We have a very secure, protected billing system, and you have multiple, convenient options to pay your bills, including direct debit, check, credit card and cash.
- Customers who are scheduled for disconnection due to nonpayment receive written notice that includes the actions they can take to maintain service.
- All employees carry company-issued identification, and any electrical contractors working with us carry documentation explaining the nature and location of their work. Customers can always call us to verify this information.
Always verify whether these contacts are legitimate by asking for some basic information about your account. Our representatives will always be able to provide the name on the account, the account address, and the exact past due balance. If the caller cannot provide that information, the call is not from us.
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