Eversource issues warning to New Hampshire residents: Beware of winter scams 

Eversource is warning New Hampshire customers to watch out for surges, but not of the power kind. This is the time of year when there’s an increase in scam activity directed at their customers, according to a release from the utility company.

Makes sense. Who wants to be without heat, and electricity during these long, dark winter days?

The scammers see bad weather as an advantage. After widespread power outages due to a storm, the scammers call promising to restore power quickly, in return for immediate payment.

Eversource points out that one of the most common swindles is the shut-off tactic. Scammers, posing as utility employees, call, threatening to disconnect service unless an immediate payment is made through prepaid debit cards. If you receive a phone call without prior notification demanding immediate payment to avoid shutting power off, it’s likely a scam, according to the utility company.

Other common uses include “phishing” or “smishing” swindles—when a customer receives text messages requesting personal information from scammers pretending to be from a reputable company. And there’s the “overpayment scam,” getting a call claiming that you overpaid your utility bill and requesting your bank account or credit card information to give you a refund.

For a full listing of possible scams and how to avoid them, the company has a free, online pamphlet, “Stop the Scams. Learn the Signs.”