Eversource, Dartmouth Police, and Springfield Police offer tips to avoid becoming a victim of scams

BOSTON and SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (January 14, 2025) – With the holiday season in the rearview mirror and a new year underway, scammers are still hard at work focusing on new victims. Imposters often take advantage of this busy time of year, posing as Eversource representatives and threatening to disconnect customers’ power unless they make an immediate payment on the spot. The energy company is reminding residents and businesses to be on the lookout for common signs of scams, whether it’s in person, over the phone, or online.

“Many scammers are successful because they use scare tactics and threats, demanding customers act quickly or face serious consequences if they don’t give money or personal information,” said Eversource Senior Vice President for Customer Operations and Digital Strategy Jared Lawrence. “These imposters take advantage of the panic someone might feel after hearing, with little warning, that their power will be shut off in the middle of winter. We want customers to remember that we will never demand instant payment over the phone, require gift cards or other non-standard methods of payment, or request personal information in an unsolicited call, text message, or email. If you ever question that the person you’re speaking with isn’t who they say they are, hang up right away, and give us a call at 800-592-2000 in Eastern Massachusetts or 877-659-6326 in Western Massachusetts.”

Police departments around the state regularly receive reports of imposter scams.

“Scammers often pose as representatives of trusted organizations, including utility companies, to target residents—especially seniors—and businesses in an attempt to obtain personal information or payments,” said Chief Brian P. Levesque of the Dartmouth Police Department. “If you receive an unsolicited call or message from someone claiming to represent Eversource or another company, hang up immediately and verify the request by reaching out to the company through their official channels. Remember, no reputable company will ever request or accept payment through gift cards or cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin. Additionally, to help raise awareness and protect others from such fraudulent activities, I strongly encourage everyone to report these incidents to their local police department.”

“Our residents and members of our business community far too often fall victim to scams.  Scammers utilize different methods to try to get your money and information including under the guise of utility companies, like Eversource.  If you receive a call like this, just hang up the phone and remember that no reputable company will ever ask for or accept payment in the form of gift cards or bitcoin," added Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence E. Akers. "Please share this information with your friends and family especially those that are older, as senior citizens are regularly targeted by scammers."

Eversource and the Dartmouth and Springfield police departments also offer these additional tips to help avoid becoming a victim: