Scammers Target Watsonville PG&E Customers, Police Say

WATSONVILLE, CA — Scammers are targeting Watsonville Pacific Gas & Electricity customers, police said Thursday.

The calls appear to be coming from the city of Watsonville. Scammers claim residents have past-due balances on their PG&E accounts and that utilities will be disconnected if a payment is not immediately sent, police said.

Hang up if you receive this call, police said.

PG&E and the city will never ask for payment over the phone.

This summer PG&E said phone scammers have "become increasingly deceptive" during the pandemic.

Scammers often target older adults, people who do not speak English fluently, people in lower-income communities or businesses operating during peak hours, PG&E said.

"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 an August statement.

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.