Learn How To Spot These 5 Energy Scams So You Don't Get Duped

Maybe it was a visit by door-to-door sales person. Maybe it was a phone call; or a text or e-mail message. There are six energy scams you should be aware of, so you don't get duped and lose your hard-earned money. Eversource, the largest energy delivery service in New England, alerted its customers about common scams:

1. Shut-off Threats: callers claim to represent the Billing or Disconnect Department, and state that your power will be shut off if you don't make a payment immediately.
2. Pay immediately: callers instruct you to make a payment immediately to a third-party location, such as a grocery store, or to a "Green Dot" VISA card. Then, the scammer directs victims to call another phone number to report the card payment information, so the scammers can drain the card account online.
3. Faulty meters: callers claim your electric (or gas) meter is broken and it overcharging you. Then, the scammer directs victims to buy a $200.00 prepaid card. The scammers calls again claiming the first payment hasn't posted, and the consumer should buy a $300.00 prepaid card. Of course, the scammer lies about the meter being fixed soon.
4. Unsolicited technician: a door-to-door person, with a hard-to-read badge, claims he is there to check your usage since your neighbors reported have claimed about high monthly bills.
5. Unsolicited salesperson: a door-to-door person claims there is a problem with your utilities, and you failed to respond to urgent notices. The scammers insisted that you could get a rebate, or savings, but needs to see a copy of your energy bill.

These are all scams because:

"Eversource would never ask you to purchase prepaid cards or make an immediate payment at a third-party location, like a grocery store. We have a very secure, protected billing system, and you have multiple, convenient options to pay your bills, including direct debit, check, credit card and cash. Customers who are scheduled for disconnection due to nonpayment receive written notice that includes the actions they can take to maintain service... All [Eversource] employees carry company-issued identification, and any electrical contractors working with us carry documentation explaining the nature and location of their work. Customers can always call us to verify this information. Eversource would never solicit door-to-door or over the phone on behalf of a specific competitive/alternate energy supplier."

The information on your monthly energy bill is sensitive information. Protect it. Eversource advises:

"Never provide personal financial or utility account information to any unsolicited individual, in person, on the phone, or online, even if the individual seems legitimate."

And Eversource advises its consumers to:

"Always verify whether these contacts are legitimate by asking for some basic information about your account. Our representatives will always be able to provide the name on the account, the account address, and the exact past due balance. If the caller cannot provide that information, the call is not from us."

If you use a different energy provider, check it's website for scams. For example, earlier this month PG&E warned its customers in California about similar scams.

I've received some of these robocalls from scammers. Long ago, I registered both my landline and mobile phone numbers in the National Do Not Call Registry. When I receive unwanted and un-requested robocalls, I hang up the call immediately and submit a complaint to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You should, too.