'Hang Up,' Maura Healey Warns Mass. Residents After Receiving Scam Eversource Call

BOSTON (CBS) - It's happened to just about everyone. A call comes in on your phone, and it looks legitimate, like maybe from a utility company you deal with. Then, the caller demands payment or your service will be shut off.

"The caller ID will read Eversource, the person will identify himself or herself as an Eversource employee, in some cases use real employee names," said Reid Lamberty of Eversource. "In other cases our customers are receiving emails that have the Eversource logo on it."

It even happened to Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, the state's number one crime stopper.

"I put out a tweet immediately so that people know if you get one of these calls, like the call I got, hang up, don't give up any information," she told WBZ-TV.

Utility companies say even if someone looking very official shows up at your door pressuring you for payment, shut the door.

"It's a warning that we're constantly saying and it bears repeating, we will never threaten to disconnect your service," Lamberty said.

Healey said there are other scams that target unemployment benefits and some seeking payment for a COVID-19 vaccine.

Healey emphasizes that there's a statewide moratorium on utility shut offs until July 1.