Santa Cruz Among Top Area Cities For PG&E Scam Attempts: 4 Signs To Spot A Scammer

SANTA CRUZ, CA — Scam attempts are on the rise, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. announced, and Santa Cruz is one of the hardest-hit communities in the Central Coast.

The number of scam attempts reported to PG&E increased by 65 percent in September and October compared to the previous two months, the utility said in a statement. As "we head into the holidays, scam activity is expected to drastically increase," it added.

Elsewhere on the Central Coast, PG&E reported that Watsonville and Monterey were also among the areas that saw the most scam attempts. The hardest-hit city was Salinas, where more than 100 customers reported scam attempts in the past three months, PG&E said.

"This number is only the tip of the iceberg due to many scams going unreported," PG&E said.

Scammers may disguise their phone numbers so that caller ID shows a call is from PG&E. They may target older people, low-income communities and small-business owners during busy hours, PG&E said.

Scammers may show up at your door, call you or email you.

“Scammers are constantly changing their tactics and tricks, so awareness and reporting are more important than ever," Chris Zenner, a vice president of PG&E, said in a statement. "All of us have to continue to evolve our safeguards and approaches to keeping our customers safe. If an email, visit to your home or phone call doesn’t feel right, don’t fall for it. Delete it, shut the door or hang up."

How do you know if you're talking to a scammer? Here are some signs to spot a scam, according to PG&E.

1. They may threaten to disconnect service if you don't pay a past-due bill.
2. They may immediately request payment in the form of a prepaid card then ask you to call back to make a false bill payment.
3. They may request the number of the prepaid card, which immediately grants them access to the money stored on it.
4. They may say that you were overbilled and entitled to a rebate or refund.

PG&E does not specify how customers make payments and will never threaten to disconnect service without prior notification or ask for payment via phone or email.

If you are targeted by a scammer, hang up the phone, delete the email or shut the door.

Call 911 if you feel that you are in physical danger. Contact law enforcement if you have been a victim of fraud or felt threatened while interacting with a scammer.

If you have doubts about whether the person was actually from PG&E, call them to verify at 1-800-743-5000.

PG&E's announcement came during Utility Scam Awareness Week, which is organized by 145 U.S. and Canadian members of Utilities United Against Scams, including PG&E. The group has successfully taken 9,500 toll-free numbers used by scammers out of commission.