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Beware of
utility scam
HARTFORD — State officials last week urged families to recognize the signs that they’re being targeted by scam artists threatening to turn off their utilities.
In this scam, someone typically calls, but might also text message or email claiming to be a representative from a local utility company. Scammers will threaten to shut off consumers’ power unless they pay hundreds of dollars immediately in an untraceable form of payment such as a wire transfer or prepaid card.
The Office of the Attorney General has received reports that scammers are specifically targeting low-income Eversource consumers, who already struggle to pay their bill, threatening utility shut-off and demanding immediate payment via a prepaid card.
If you receive a phone call, email or text message from a scammer who threatens to shut off your power unless you provide payment immediately, you should: Hang up the phone. Don’t click on any links, and if it looks suspicious, don’t open the text or email.
Never pay anyone via prepaid card or wire transfer. Reputable companies will never require you to. Contact your utility company to report the scam, and to verify that you don’t owe any money. Use the contact information you typically use to contact them, not any contact information you received through a potentially fraudulent message.
Remember, your utility company will not demand immediate payment to prevent shut-off over the phone in Connecticut.
“Scammers target both residential and business customers and no part of the state is immune,” said Eversource Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Penni Conner. “The key to stopping these scammers is to stay calm - don’t panic and don’t pay. Together with our fellow energy companies, the Attorney General, the Department of Consumer Protection, AARP and local law enforcement, we’re urging any of our customers who receive a suspicious phone call or home visit to call us at 1-800-286-2000 to verify any request for payment or personal information.”
“The Regional Water Authority (RWA) takes steps to ensure that residents of the communities in our service area can easily verify the work we do in order to help protect themselves against scammers,” said RWA Police Captain Paul Ruggiero. “A common tactic of scammers is to pose as utility employees and warn of an imminent service termination unless you pay. When someone tells you there is no time to stop and think, it’s usually the best time to do so. If someone contacts you or a loved one and claims to be from the RWA, always ask for identification and don’t hesitate to call our office directly at 203-562-4020 and ask for verification. Most importantly, never let someone in your home if you do not know them or they don’t prove their identity.”
The Office of the Attorney General also began to receive reports last year that scammers may have access to important information about consumers such as accurate account numbers and delinquent bills, making it even harder for consumers to detect the scam:
Consumer Protection: https://ct.gov/dcp/complaint; (860) 713-6300
Office of the Attorney General; https://www.dir.ct.gov/ag/complaint; (860) 808-5318
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