Pacific Gas & Electric warns customers about scam risks

CENTRAL COAST REGION, Calif. – Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) issued warnings to customers about consistent scams that continue to occur across the Central Coast region.

Nearly $900,000 was lost to fraud payments with an average customer losing nearly $800 across 43,000 scam reports across the company.

Several customers in local cities were impacted by scammers including:

• Santa Maria, 66
• Paso Robles, 45
• San Luis Obispo, 36
• Atascadero, 15
• Arroyo Grande, 6
• Grover Beach, 6
• Buellton, 2
• Guadalupe, 2
• Cambria 1
• Cayucos 1

Many scams go unreported and PG&E alerts customers that scammers will target the most vulnerable individuals with threats to send them money.

Signs of a potential scam include:

• Threat to disconnect: Scammers may aggressively demand immediate payment for an alleged past due bill.
• Request for immediate payment: Scammers may instruct the customer to purchase a prepaid card then call them back supposedly to make a bill payment.
• Request for prepaid card: When the customer calls back, the caller asks the customer for the prepaid card’s number, which grants the scammer instant access to the card’s funds.
• Refund or rebate offers: Scammers may say that your utility company overbilled you and owes you a refund, or that you are entitled to a rebate.

PG&E urges customers to protect themselves by hanging up on suspicious phone calls, avoiding prepaid cards for bill payment and signing up for online accounts at their website for helpful alerts and billing options.

For more information about scams visit the PG&E website.