Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today urged Connecticut residents to be on alert for utility scams after multiple reports of consumers receiving calls purporting to be from Eversource and threatening imminent shut-off of electricity if a payment was not made.
The scammers have called Eversource and UI customers pretending to be from the utility company and demanding payments in the form of prepaid gift cards. Eversource does not demand immediate payment by phone, particularly via a prepaid gift card. These scams are not new, but they have become increasingly sophisticated. The scammers have sensitive information, including the customer’s account numbers and personal details, leading several consumers to believe they are speaking with an employee of Eversource.
“Our office has received multiple reports of individuals claiming to be from Eversource and threatening to shut off their power unless they pay a certain fee. Sadly, these scams can be sophisticated, and some Connecticut residents have fallen for them, losing their hard-earned money to bad actors looking to make a quick buck,” Attorney General Tong said. “If you are suspicious of a call from your utility company, hang up the phone and call your utility company directly.”
One victim of the scam paid $2,000 to the fraudulent callers. The victim received a robocall voicemail on his cell phone asking for him to call them back about his broken meter. When he called back, the entire Eversource automated customer care system was spoofed, leading him to believe he was speaking with an Eversource representative. The scammer even knew all three of his Eversource account numbers and his daughter’s name, which is connected to his residential account. The victim was told to pay $2,000 in a prepaid gift card or they would not fix his meter.
Another victim, who is elderly, was told by the scammers that she was four months behind on her bill and needed to pay $295 in the form of a gift card or her electricity would be shut off. When she called back to read the card number to the scammer, they demanded $395 more. At this point the victim realized it was a scam.
Consumers who receive suspicious phone calls about their Eversource service can verify the status of your account by contacting Eversource directly at 800-286-2000. You can also contact the Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Unit at 860-808-5420. To report a scam using the Attorney General’s online complaint system, click here.
This press release is made possible by:
Visit BMW of Bridgeport at: https://www.bmwofbridgeport.com/
UPDATE: Now reported 4 children, 5 adults onboard one adult “significantly” injured. The boat is reported to be taking on water. Milford has been added to the assignment.
2020-9-18@7:07pm–#Stratford CT– Fireboat dispatched to the mouth of the Housatonic River for a 30 foot boat that struck the sandbar and now aground. 3 people reported onboard.
11:30pm–UPDATE: Second alarm called, roof in the back just collapsed.
2020-09-14@10:19pm–#Milford CT– #ctfire– Firefighters were called to a commercial building on Roses Mill Road which is between Walmart and Taco Bell. Firefighters were greeted with heavy fire on their arrival. My travel time was 16 minutes and the bulk of the fire was knocked down when I got there. Firefighters are still chasing hot spots an hour later.
HARTFORD, CT – Governor Ned Lamont is reminding Connecticut residents that – as the result of a new law he championed last year that schedules gradual increases in the state’s minimum wage over the next several years – the minimum wage in Connecticut will increase from the current rate of $11.00 per hour to $12.00 beginning on Tuesday, September 1.
“Nobody working a full-time job should live in poverty,” Governor Lamont said. “For too long, while the nation’s economy grew, the income of the lowest-earning workers has stayed flat, making already existing pay disparities even worse and preventing hardworking families from obtaining financial security. This is a fair, modest increase, and the money earned will go right back into our own economy, supporting local businesses in our communities.”
Signed by Governor Lamont on May 28, 2019, Public Act 19-4 requires the minimum wage to increase five times over a five year period, from the then-rate of $10.10 to:
· $11.00 on October 1, 2019;
· $12.00 on September 1, 2020;
· $13.00 on August 1, 2021;
· $14.00 on July 1 2020; and finally
· $15.00 on June 1, 2023.
Ultimately, beginning January 1, 2024, that same law requires the minimum wage to become indexed to the employment cost index, which is calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, and for the first time in Connecticut, the rate will grow according to economic indicators.
Hartford, CT) — Attorney General William Tong joined a multistate lawsuit
filed today challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful final rule curtailing requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that federal agencies review and assess the impact of their actions on the environment. The final rule also limits public participation in the review process, robbing vulnerable communities of the opportunity to make their voices heard on actions that are likely to have adverse environmental and health impacts. In the lawsuit, the coalition argues that the final rule abandons informed decision making, public participation, and environmental and public health protections in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and NEPA.
“This rule completely obliterates our bedrock environmental protections, allowing developers to push through major energy and infrastructure projects with no regard to science and environmental harm. This rule would gut public participation, completely ignoring the input of vulnerable and impacted communities. We will not allow the Trump Administration to silence science, facts, and our voices. This rule was pushed through with complete disregard for legal processes and procedures and by an entity with no statutory authority to make these sweeping changes. We join with states across the nation in asking the court to block this rule,” said Attorney General Tong.
“I voiced my opposition to these changes at the time the rule was open for public comment,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “Now that the rule has been finalized, DEEP will join with other states to oppose the final rule as a natural extension of that effort. NEPA stands as a foundational tenet of environmental law. In addition to the technical environmental impact review of proposed federal actions, NEPA offers vital opportunity for transparency and public participation. I strongly oppose any effort to undermine its significance.”
Enacted in 1969, NEPA is one of the nation’s foremost environmental statutes. NEPA requires that before any federal agency undertakes “major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment,” it must consider the environmental impacts of the proposed actions, alternatives to the actions, and any available mitigation measures. Numerous federal actions, from the approval of significant energy and infrastructure projects to key decisions concerning the management of federal public lands, require compliance with NEPA.
On July 15, 2020, the Trump Administration’s Council on Environmental Quality announced a final rule upending the requirement that federal agencies comprehensively evaluate the impacts of their actions on the environment and public health. This will result in agencies taking actions without fully understanding the impacts of those actions on climate change, overburdened and underserved communities, water and air quality, and sensitive, threatened, and endangered wildlife. In addition, the final rule so severely limits NEPA’s public participation process that it threatens to render it a meaningless paperwork exercise.
In the lawsuit, the coalition argues that the final rule violates NEPA and APA because it:
· Is contrary to NEPA’s language and purpose and exceeds the Council on Environmental Quality’s statutory authority;
· Is arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and otherwise not in accordance with law; and
· Was promulgated without preparing an Environmental Assessment or an Environmental Impact Statement evaluating the rule’s environmental and public health impacts.
Attorney Tong joins the attorneys general of California, Washington, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, the District of Columbia, and Guam, as well as the City of New York, Harris County, and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection in filing the lawsuit. The lawsuit is being led by the attorneys general of California and Washington.
Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) announced that University of Bridgeport received a $261,886.00 Student Support Services grant from the Department of Education, which will provide students from low-income families with academic advising, career counseling, tutoring, peer mentors, financial aid, workshops and seminars, and additional services.
“Access to higher education can’t be a luxury – it is an economic imperative and the best way to increase opportunity for every student, no matter where they live or what their family’s financial situation,” said Congressman Jim Himes. “If we want America to remain competitive in a 21st century economy, we have to ensure low-income students have the support they need to complete their degree and start their career. University of Bridgeport Student Support Services’ federal grant will increase the retention and success for University of Bridgeport students”
“The Student Support Services Grant is an intricate part of University of Bridgeport and serves to support many students of the University in more than one way,” said Chrystie Cruz, Director of Student Support Services at University of Bridgeport. “It has been woven into the fabric of the University and serves to assist students in need of learning to navigate the higher education world such as academia, financial aid, social interactions, and personal/professional growth. Over the next five years, the Grant will provide extensive support in the following areas: Financial literacy, Financial Aid information, and academic success tips.”
According to University of Bridgeport, the Student Support Services Program (SSS), funded by the Federal TRIO Programs, is designed to identify and provide services to a selective group of college students who meet eligibility criteria. All of the services are available at no cost with the intent of assisting students in accomplishing their goal of graduating from University of Bridgeport. Click here to learn more about the Student Support Services Program.
This press release was made possible by:
Visit BMW of Bridgeport at: https://www.bmwofbridgeport.com/
Connecticut has helped secure a more than $85 million multistate settlement with American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and Honda of America Mfg., Inc. (collectively “Honda”), over allegations Honda concealed safety issues related to defects in the frontal airbag systems installed in certain Honda and Acura vehicles sold in the United States. The systems were designed and manufactured by Takata Corporation, a long-time Honda supplier, and were first installed in Honda vehicles in the 2001 model year.
Connecticut will receive $2,362,819.71 under the settlement. Honda estimates that the faulty airbags in question were used in approximately 223,578 vehicles in Connecticut.
The settlement, reached between the attorneys general of 48 states and jurisdictions and Honda, concludes a multistate investigation into Honda’s alleged failure to inform regulators and consumers of that the frontal airbags posed a significant risk of rupture, which could cause metal fragments to fly into the passenger compartments of many Honda and Acura vehicles. The ruptures have resulted in at least 14 deaths and over 200 injuries in the United States alone.
“Honda’s deception and failure to notify the public about the dangers of its vehicle airbags resulted in the tragic and preventable deaths of 14 people and over 200 injuries across the country. Consumer protection laws exist to save lives, and my office will aggressively pursue any corporation that puts profits ahead of the safety of the people of Connecticut. Many of these vehicles are still on the road today, and I strongly urge all drivers to visit safercar.gov to check for any open recalls. These repairs are free and help ensure the safety of all who share our roads,” said Attorney General Tong. “The Connecticut Office of the Attorney General routinely leads some of the largest multistate investigations and settlements to protect consumers across the country. I want to thank the attorneys in our office who led this case and helped to reach this major settlement.”
“Every business should make the safety of their customers a priority,” said Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull. “Safety defects in motor vehicles are especially important because of the potential level of danger to consumers. Defects should be disclosed and remedied as fully and as quickly as possible. I’m pleased that this case has been settled, that families will be protected from this defect, and that Honda will be implementing better quality control mechanisms going forward.”
The states have alleged that Honda engineers suspected that the airbags’ propellant, ammonium nitrate, could burn aggressively and cause the inflator to burst. Despite these concerns, Honda delayed warning consumers or automobile safety officials, even as it began partial recalls of affected vehicles in 2008 and 2009. Further, Honda continued to represent to consumers that its vehicles, including its airbags, were safe. Since 2008, Honda has recalled approximately 12.4 million Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with the suspect inflators.
The states have alleged that Honda’s actions, or perhaps more accurately, its failures to act, as well as its misrepresentations about the safety of its vehicles, were unfair and deceptive, and that Honda’s conduct violated state consumer protection laws, including the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.
Under the terms of the consent judgment, which will be filed with Hartford Superior Court, Honda has agreed to strong injunctive relief which, among other things, require it:
To take steps to ensure that future airbag designs include “fail-safe” features to protect passengers in the event the inflator ruptures.
To adopt changes to its procurement process for new frontal airbags, to ensure that its suppliers have the appropriate industry certifications and satisfy key industry performance standards, as well as improve record-keeping and parts tracking.
To implement recurrence prevention procedures designed to prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again, such as requiring that Honda approve all new frontal airbag designs before the company will consider them for use in new Honda vehicles.
To abide by prohibitions on misleading advertisements and point of sale representations regarding the safety of Honda’s vehicles, including the airbags.
To make improvements in critical areas such as risk management, quality control, supplier oversight, training and certifications, and implementing mandatory whistleblower protections.
The multistate group – led by Connecticut, South Carolina, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, South Dakota, and Texas – includes Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Guam, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Consumers who own a Honda or Acura vehicle are strongly encouraged to visit Honda’s airbag recall website at https://hondaairbaginfo.com or call its Customer Service toll-free number at (888) 234-2138, to see if their vehicle is subject to a recall. Consumers may also check for open recalls by going to Safercar.gov. All safety recall repairs are FREE at authorized Honda dealers.
Consumers can also contact the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General at attorney.general@ct.gov or 860-808-5318 with any questions about this settlement.
Assistant Attorneys General Brendan Flynn and Michael Wertheimer, head of the Consumer Protection Department, assisted the Attorney General in this case.
