Once again there is a scam going around that seeks payments from people for their Eversource bills, demanding payment within 30 minutes or the lights will go out, according to Island restaurant owner J.B. Blau and an alert on the Oak Bluffs Police Department’s Facebook page.
Mr. Blau said one of his restaurants received a call from “Kevin,” saying that the restaurant’s electricity would be shut off if its bill wasn’t paid immediately. Mr. Blau dialed back the number, 844-372-0237, and went toe-to-toe with the scammer.
The Times called that number Wednesday, and it sounds like an Eversource customer service line. It directs a customer to dial 1 for a power outage or 2 to pay a bill. When the Times pressed 2 and asked for Kevin, he insisted on being provided a phone number or account number. He said he works in Eversource’s disconnect department, and the electricity was due to be shut off within 30 minutes. The only way to pay it was through prepaid debit cards, he said.
Confronted about scamming customers, Kevin provided a last name and urged me to call Eversource to confirm his existence, and then call him back.
Michael Durand, a spokesman for the utility, said Kevin’s is a typical scam being perpetrated across the country. And a Google search of the number shows a Reddit page and other comments about similar scams involving that same number.
The Times called back Kevin, from a different number. When confronted, he called it “crazy” that Eversource doesn’t know who he is, and threatened to call his attorney about the call from The Times. Moments later, the line went silent.
The recording is made to sound like it’s Eversource, and preys on potentially vulnerable businesses or individuals.
“When they target a business, they tend to do it at worst possible time,” Mr. Durand said. “Restaurants get a call at the busy time of day, to induce a sense of panic.”
Mr. Durand wants to make it clear to customers that Eversource doesn’t operate that way. For the businesses and residential customers who do find themselves behind on bills, Eversource attempts to work out payment plans, and no immediate demands are made for payment, he said. “We give ample notice before shutting off power,” he said.
Scammers like Kevin use rerouted phone lines that are difficult for law enforcement to trace, Mr. Durand said.
“They’re as savvy as they are insidious and malicious,” he said.
If you do get a call from someone like Kevin, Mr. Durand recommends hanging up. But if you do stay on the phone, ask the caller for the account number and address in question. Don’t offer that information, because if it was truly Eversource on the other end of the line, they would already have the information, he said.
If you do have questions about your bill, call Eversource’s legitimate customer-service number, 800-592-2000, and if you want to know more about being aware of scams, see bit.ly/MVutilityscam.