New Bedford Police, Eversource warn public of scams

Police and Eversource officials are warning the public of a reported scam with callers claiming to be from Eversource and demanding money.

An employee at Libads, 578 Brock Ave., reported that she received a call from someone claiming to be from Eversource and demanding that money be sent to them via prepaid money card. The caller told the employee that this was the only way the cash would be accepted and gave her a number to call to make the transaction.

After the transaction was completed, she realized she had fallen victim to a scam and reported the incident to police.

“We never demand immediate payment, and remind our customers that the key to stopping these predators in their tracks is _ Don’t panic and don’t pay,’’ said Michael Durand, spokesman for Eversource. “Scammers can be relentless and often sound legitimate and convincing, but they’re only successful if they catch customers off-guard and coerce them into making a payment.’’

Customers can verify they are speaking with Eversource representatives by asking for some basic information about their account, such as the name on the account, the account address and the exact balance due, according to Eversource officials. If you don’t feel comfortable, hang up.

Anyone who believes they have been the target of callers improperly claiming to be Eversource employees is asked to call 1-800-592-2000.