Eversource warns of scammers

Kim Masse, of Northeast Garage Door Systems is used to getting telephone scammers calling her Plainville business on a regular basis. But Masse said she got multiple calls last month from people claiming to be from Eversource Energy, saying her electricity would be disconnected if she didn’t pay immediately.

“They have been robocalls telling us to ‘press 1 to pay,’ ” she said. “I went online to insure my Eversource bill was correct and I contacted a company representative. I even called the robocall number back and got a recording that it was an unworkable number.”

Eversource is now warning customers about new techniques being employed to steal customers’ money. The scams include:

Someone claiming to be from Eversource and using a real employee’s name offering a discount on their bill.

Receiving an email that contains the Eversource logo, but isn’t from the company, in an attempt to get personal information and money.

Eversource spokesman Mitch Gross said because people “are working, learning from home, the scammers hope to catch people in a weak moment.”

“We are hearing from more customers than ever,” Gross said. “They are more creative than ever, slicker than ever. They have turned to robo calls.”

One Eversource customer in Fairfield County fell for a scam “and paid to the tune of four figures,” he said.

Both Gross and United Illuminating spokesman Ed Crowder say the state’s two largest electric utilities will never demand instant payment or threaten to disconnect service immediately. Crowder said Gov. Ned Lamont has a prohibition on electric customers having their service disconnected.

Penni Conner, Eversource senior vice president and chief customer officer, said customers of the utility should trust their instincts.

“A phone call, email or visit that doesn’t feel right — don’t panic and don’t pay,” Conner said.