Police Warn Residents Of Utility Scams In Greenwich

GREENWICH, CT — Greenwich Police are warning residents to beware of scammers targeting utility customers. According to Lt. John Slusarz, customers in many towns across Connecticut, including Greenwich, have been approached by scammers this year, both over the phone and in person.

To warn customers, Eversource, the Greenwich Police Department and the Better Business Bureau Serving Connecticut are teaming up to ensure customers know the telltale signs of scams and can avoid falling victim to them.

"The scammers, often sounding legitimate and quite convincing, threaten to shut off electric service immediately unless instant payment is made," Eversource Senior Vice President Penni Conner said in a statement. "These scammers can be relentless, but they're only successful if they catch our customers off-guard and scare them into making a payment. We remind customers, if something doesn't sound right or feel right, trust your gut and don't pay."

According to Better Business Bureau spokesperson Luke Frey, one similarity in many of these scams is a sense of urgency.

"Scammers often convince consumers that payment must be made immediately, and that is always a red flag," Frey said in a statement. "The more we educate consumers on the basic red flags of a scam, the least likely they are to become victims."

Slusarz said a new variation of this scam seen recently in Greenwich is to tell the customer there is a problem with their "smart meter," which needs to be replaced. The customer is then asked to provide their credit card information over the phone.

If the customer refuses, the scammer gets angry and tells them to get gift cards or cash, Slusarz said.

Here are some tips from Greenwich Police to help avoid falling for these scams:

• Eversource representatives never demand instant payment over the phone, require the use of pre-paid debit cards or request customers meet at a payment center to make the payment.
• Never provide personal financial or account information to any unsolicited person on the phone, at the door or online, even if they seem legitimate.
• Beware, some sophisticated scammers can manipulate their caller ID to say the caller is with Eversource.
• Customers who are scheduled for disconnection due to nonpayment receive a written notice that includes information on how to maintain their service.
• 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 past due balance.

Eversource urges anyone who has doubts about the legitimacy of a call, visit or offer they receive to contact the company directly at 1-800-286-2000. Further information on how to protect personal information and avoid utility scams can be found at eversource.com.