BERLIN – Eversource imposters are getting more aggressive in their tactics to steal from unsuspecting customers, the company said, and, in many cases, they said tactics have been successful.
Eversource said business and residential customers continue to pick up their phones and open their doors to find people on the other side claiming to be representatives or partners of Eversource. Whether these scammers are using aggressive marketing tactics to sell discounted power or threatening to turn off electricity unless an immediate payment is made, the company is warning customers to be cautious.
“We’re hearing from thousands of our customers who continue to be negatively impacted by these dishonest solicitations,” Penni Conner, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer at Eversource, said in a statement. “We urge any customer who feels they have been targeted by deceptive marketers or are the victim of a scam to contact us immediately. Every concern is logged and passed along to state regulators.”
“At Connecticut Better Business Bureau, we’ve received many complaints about misleading or high-pressure tactics used by salespeople for some competitive energy suppliers,” said Howard Schwartz, Executive Communications Director in a statement. “We urge all consumers, especially the elderly and those whose primary language is other than English, to proceed with extreme caution. ”
Eversource reminds customers:
- Never provide a copy of your utility bill or account information to any unsolicited person on the phone, at the door, or online, particularly if you question their legitimacy.
- Customers can verify they are speaking with an Eversource representative by asking for some basic information about their account like the name on the account, the account address, and the exact balance due.
- If you don’t feel comfortable, close the door or hang up the phone.
Eversource urges anyone who believes they are a target of improper solicitation to please contact them directly at 1-800-286-2000.