Emera Maine Warns Residents And Business Owners Of Scam

Emera Maine officials are warning residents of a scam in which callers are threatening to shut off the power.

In a press release, Emera officials say a number of small businesses have recently been targeted in the Bangor area. Communications and Marketing Manager Allison Gray says there are a few warning signs that the person calling you isn't actually from Emera;

• The caller demands immediate payment or threatens disconnection with little notice
• They require payment be made by a prepaid debit card or other non-refundable form of payment, like Green Dot cards
• The caller does one or both of the above, despite the fact that the call appears to be coming from an Emera number, when you check caller ID
• You receive the call outside regular business hours

Karen Holyoke, Vice-President of Customer Experience assures customers that Emera Maine employees will never contact customers "demanding immediate payment with the threat of disconnection." Customers with a delinquent balance will receive notifications by mail, including a warning of interruption of service, complete with a disconnection date in the future. In addition, they may get an automated or personal call, but the representative will offer to set up a payment arrangement, not threaten immediate disconnection.

Remember, it's never a good idea to give out credit card or other financial or personal information over the phone if you didn't initiate the call. If you get a call that seems suspicious, hang up immediately. And if you want to know whether it was an actual call from the utility, call the customer service number listed on the back of your bill. Do NOT use the number that shows up on caller ID because scammers can fake that information.