Attorney General William Tong is warning Connecticut residents about utility scams on Monday.
Officials said multiple consumers have received calls from someone purporting to be from Eversource, threatening immediate shut-off of electricity if a payment is not made.
"The scammers have called Eversource and UI customers pretending to be from the utility company and demanding payments in the form of prepaid gift cards. Eversource does not demand immediate payment by phone, particularly via a prepaid gift card," the Attorney General's Office said in part.
Authorities said the scammers have sensitive information including the customer's account numbers, along with other personal details. This has led several consumers to believe they are speaking with an Eversource employee, they added.
"Sadly, these scams can be sophisticated, and some Connecticut residents have fallen for them, losing their hard-earned money to bad actors looking to make a quick buck. If you are suspicious of a call from your utility company, hang up the phone and call your utility company directly, Tong said in part in a statement.
Investigators said one victim of the scam paid $2,000 to the fraudulent callers.
"The victim received a robocall voicemail on his cell phone asking for him to call them back about his broken meter. When he called back, the entire Eversource automated customer care system was spoofed, leading him to believe he was speaking with an Eversource representative. The scammer even knew all three of his Eversource account numbers and his daughter’s name, which is connected to his residential account. The victim was told to pay $2,000 in a prepaid gift card or they would not fix his meter," the Attorney General's Office said.
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Anyone who receives a suspicious phone call about their service can call Eversource directly at (800) 286-2000 to verify. Consumers are also urged to contact the Office of the Attorney General's Consumer Assistance Unit at (860) 808-5420.
