PG&E Reveals Number Of Scam Reports In Martinez, Nearby Cities

MARTINEZ, CA — During the first seven months of 2023, reports of scams targeting PG&E customers increased exponentially compared to last year. At this point in 2022, PG&E had received just over 10,000 scam reports. From Jan. 1 through July 31 of this year, PG&E has had 29,000 scam attempts reported, 57 of which were in Martinez.

Another 243 were reported in Concord, while Walnut Creek had 148 reports, Lafayette had 21 and Orinda had seven, PG&E Spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian told Patch this week.

Altogether, PG&E customers have already been scammed out of nearly $580,000 thus far in 2023, the utility company said. That is why PG&E remains committed to helping customers recognize the signs of a scam, Sarkissian said.

A typical scam targeting a utility customer includes a caller claiming to be from PG&E and threatening disconnection if immediate payment is not made via a pre-paid debit card, digital payment mobile application, or other money transfer methods.

According to Matt Foley, a lead scam investigator for PG&E, scammers are constantly changing their tactics and tricks, which makes awareness and reporting more important than ever.

"If a phone call, visit to your home or email doesn’t feel right, don’t fall for it," Foley said. "Delete it, shut the door or hang up. Remember, PG&E will never ask for your financial information over the phone or via email, nor will we request payment via pre-paid debit cards or other methods of money transfer, including mobile applications."

PG&E reminded also customers this week that it will never send a single notification to a customer within one hour of a service interruption.

Signs Of A Potential Scam

• 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 over billed you and owes you a refund, or that you are entitled to a rebate, and ask you for your personal financial information.
• Scammers impersonating trusted phone numbers: Scammers are now able to create authentic-looking 800 numbers that appear on your phone display. The numbers don’t lead back to PG&E if called back, however, so if you have doubts, hang up and either log into your account at pge.com to confirm your bill details or call PG&E at 1-833-500-SCAM. If customers ever feel that they are in physical danger, they should call 911.

How Customers Can Protect Themselves

• Customers should never purchase a prepaid card to avoid service disconnection or shutoff. PG&E does not specify how customers should make a bill payment and offers a variety of ways to pay a bill, including accepting payments online, by phone, automatic bank draft, mail or in person.
• If a scammer threatens immediate disconnection or shutoff of service without prior notification, customers should hang up the phone, delete the email, or shut the door. Customers with delinquent accounts receive an advance disconnection notification, typically by mail and included with their regular monthly bill.
• Signing up for an online account at pge.com is another safeguard. Not only can customers log in to check their balance and payment history, they can also sign up for recurring payments, paperless billing and helpful alerts.
• Customers who suspect that they have been victims of fraud, or who feel threatened during contact with one of these scammers, should contact local law enforcement. The Federal Trade Commission’s website is also a good source of information about how to protect personal information.

According to PG&E, scammers can be convincing and often target those who are most vulnerable, including senior citizens and low-income communities. They also aim their scams at small business owners during busy customer service hours. However, with the right information, customers can learn to detect and report these predatory scams by visiting Pge.com/scams, calling 1-833-500-SCAM, or going online to Consumer.ftc.gov/scams.