Livermore PG&E Customers: Be Wary Of Scammers

LIVERMORE, CA — Pacific Gas & Electric Co. warned customers in Livermore and beyond to remain vigilant after 2,700 scam attempts were reported to the utility since June.

Scam attempts peaked during the coronavirus pandemic, and scams in person, over the phone or in text messages and emails "have become increasingly deceptive," PG&E said in a statement.

Scammers asked their targets for immediate payment to avoid disconnecting electric and gas service. They often target older adults, people who do not speak English fluently, people in lower-income communities or businesses operating during peak hours.

"While scammers will frequently target more vulnerable populations, we want to remind all of our customers of the importance of being vigilant and to provide our customers with the information and tools they need to avoid being the victim of a payment scam," said Matt Foley, PG&E senior corporate security specialist, in a statement.

Scammers may appear to be calling from a phone number with an 800 area code, but people who call the numbers back will not reach PG&E, the utility company said.

The cities of San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Bakersfield and Fresno have been hit hardest by recent attacks, PG&E said.

Here are some things PG&E said it will never do.

• Contact people about a shut-off for the first time within an hour of the time their service will be shut off.
• Ask for payment via prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency, gift card or a third-party smartphone app. PG&E does not specify a particular form of payment; people may pay online, by phone, by automatic bank withdrawal, by mail or in person.
• Ask for financial information over the phone or email.
• Aggressively demand payment to avoid a service disconnection.

Here are some ways to avoid a scam, according to PG&E.

• Register for an online account to check payment history, the amount owed and other details. Use the "My Account" feature to determine whether you are in good standing with the utility company.
• Hang up, and call the PG&E customer service line at 800-743-5000.
• Call the customer service line to designate a child or other person to speak to PG&E on your behalf.

Anyone who feels physically threatened during the encounter or believes they have been victims of fraud should call 911 to report the incident, PG&E said.