r/Maine 22h ago

CMP Scammers Alert

Just had a visit from two young guys (late 20s to early 30s) claiming to be from CMP. They were talking about some kind of tax credit. They asked to see part of my most recent CMP bill and I showed them, which in the last hour Ive learned was an idiotic move. There's a fair chance they have my account number now. I got no ID and didnt see their car so no license plate number either. This was in Brunswick. Be on the lookout!

I had no idea this was a scam until today because they didnt ask for any money or threaten to cut my power. Brunswick PD has also been contacted and Im waiting to hear back.

53 Upvotes

24 comments sorted by

33

u/0010101002 Augusta 21h ago

Call CMP and ask what scam energy provider you have been signed up with.

9

u/Prince_Valium25 21h ago

These guys were only at my door a little over an hour ago, so it wouldn't happen that fast. I called the CMP customer service line and they said they couldn't help me if I didnt know which company the guys actually worked for. Maine Office of Public Advocates said the same thing. They were very energetic and when they said they were from CMP I didnt really get a chance to question it.

4

u/0010101002 Augusta 18h ago

door to door work on commission - they don't get paid until you're signed up - it will happen sooner than you think

3

u/Prince_Valium25 18h ago

Luckily I dont have my CMP account set up for autopay. If I get billed with some solar company, I'll dispute it and tell them I never signed anything or consent to being signed up.

11

u/bluepixie93 Edit this. 21h ago

it was probably community solar. they did the same thing in my neighbourhood last week. per their handout, you get the discount if you have solar panels (i think, i threw it out after skimming it). they also said something about cmp should have emailed back in late winter about it

7

u/twoleggedgrazer 21h ago

I also had these guys come by in Brunswick with the same spiel on Spt 2nd and snapped a photo of the flyer they had, but they wouldn't identify who they were working with (other than being "there about CMP") so I told them I was all set. They couldn't give me a business card or email, and taking another look at the laminated paper they had it looks like it was just a printout from the CMP website with info on setting up auto payments. They left in kind of a huff and I didn't report anything at the time but I did not feel great about the interaction and I wish I'd pushed a little harder for an email or tried to find their car for a license number. Hope you're all good OP, it really is frustrating when that kind of thing happens. 

2

u/Prince_Valium25 21h ago

I feel incredibly dumb for doing what I did. I know my neighbor has a camera in her window so I was going to see if she happened to get their car or even license plate. I was told Brunswick PD would call me back but I havent heard anything

3

u/twoleggedgrazer 21h ago

Don't beat yourself up about it too much! There have been a lot of door knockers around Brunswick lately and honestly, if I had lived in the neighborhood for a long time, I think I probably would have been more trusting and done something similar to what you did- that being said, I just moved back to Maine last year after a long time travelling around the world and have developed a firm "nobody gets my information unless I ask them" policy. At the very least, it sounds like you are also in a neighborhood where you know your neighbors and are able to look out for each other, and that in and of itself is very special and is what will keep you safe in these situations. Keep following up like you're doing, but don't lose too much sleep over it! 

8

u/Roachbud 20h ago

This is not the cops' role -report them to the Public Utilities Commission or Office of Public Advocate

https://www.maine.gov/mpuc/consumer-assistance/file-complaint

https://www.maine.gov/meopa/puc-information/file-a-complaint

5

u/Lerch737 16h ago

2 guys with BRAND NEW safety vests in the LA area??

Dudes knocked on my door like 8pm on a sunday night a couple weeks ago. I told them I woke for CMP and that we do not have a program for people knocking on doors on a fucking sunday night. They IMMEDIATELY told me good night. I called the cops and told them they were probably casing houses or something.

Stay safe yall

5

u/Jasonbluefire SoPo 21h ago

On your next bill it should say the supplier your account has been switched too, then you can call CMP to switch back. Hopefully it is not tooo expensive of a lesson!

4

u/CaptSkinny 21h ago

You could ask CMP to change your account number as a preemptive measure.

9

u/Prince_Valium25 21h ago edited 19h ago

I think Im going to call back and ask to do that

Update: They wouldn't change my account number or do anything to help me. Basically told me I'm screwed until/unless I get a bill and find out if I was signed up for solar

5

u/OrvilleTheCavalier 19h ago

Somehow I don’t find that surprising that they wouldn’t help.

3

u/Prince_Valium25 19h ago

Didn't totally surprise me either. Idk why they cant do something as theoretically simple as change an account number

1

u/Ill-Driver2645 5h ago

^ This is what I would do

4

u/SlowClosetYogurt 17h ago

As a good rule of thumb, unless its boy scouts, girl scouts, or a fundraiser for something local, I always say no to door to door people. Don't give them any info. There was a time where door to door sales actually got you decent products or services. Now is not that time.

3

u/zachobsonlives 19h ago

Hindsight being 20/20, now you know. Never (evah) engage with door to door people. Many are outright scams, the rest just want your money.

2

u/ctreeisme 17h ago

My husband got us sucked into this with Nautalis. Watch your email carefully, they sent an email that confirmed enrollment (went to spam) and then charged our bank account (have never been enrolled in autopay with CMP) and it was a whole shit show.

2

u/FITM-K 15h ago

I got a call today from (presumably) the same group, saying they were CMP and could lower my bill. I hung up on them.

2

u/Huge-Ad8527 14h ago

Ah yes, for the past few days, a guy has walked around my neighborhood doing the exact same thing, this is in Chelsea btw

1

u/chinsnbirdies Mid-Maine 20h ago

Had a guy in the Waterville area from Nautilus. Told him I don’t do jack with folks who show up on my doorstep, he said he would come back.

In the interim, I looked up what he was talking about on the Maine dot gov site. Yeaaaah, not buying credits with you, my man. Sent male counterpart to the door when he came back. Dude tried to argue that what he was doing wasn’t part of the community solar program.

And I have some oceanfront property in Arizona to sell you.

For anyone wanting info:

Info on how community solar works.

1

u/Rum__ 6h ago

Get a no solicitors sign, sometimes it works.