The chief of the New Canaan Police Department is warning residents and local business owners about a scam in which a man posing as a utility company employee demands immediate payment via Western Union.
The scheme played out on Sunday, when a man identifying himself as an Eversource representative contacted a town resident and bilked him out of an undisclosed amount of money, according to Chief Leon Krolikowski.
“The fraudster claimed that the resident’s electric bill was past due and that service would be shut off unless payment via Western Union was immediately made,” the chief said in a press release.
The resident sent the money via Western Union and, after a downed tree took out power at his home later on, called Eversource to complain about it, the chief said. That’s when the resident discovered from a legitimate worker at the utility company that he’d been defrauded, the chief said.
The scam has been reported throughout the county, he said.
Eversource representatives never demand instant payment, and do not require the use of prepaid debit cards. Krolikowski issued these safety tips:
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.
Remember that customers who are scheduled for disconnection due to nonpayment receive written notice that includes the actions they can take to maintain service.
Verify that you are speaking with an Eversource representative by asking for some basic information about your account like the name on the account, the account address, and the exact past due balance.
Eversource urges anyone who has any doubts about a call or a home visit to contact the company directly at 1-800-286-2000, and to report the incident to local police immediately, at 203-594-3500.
Be better informed, connected, and send anonymous tips to NCPD by downloading the “MYPD” application in the iPhone or Android marketplace. After downloading the application search for “New Canaan” and get connected. Follow New Canaan Police on Twitter@newcanaanpolice for crime alerts.