With Utility Scams on the Rise In 2022, PG&E Shares Tips on How Customers Can Protect Themselves
22 Junho 2022 - 2:42PM
Business Wire
As the number of scams targeting utility customers continues at
an alarming rate—typically by phone, online or in-person—Pacific
Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) wants to help customers
recognize the signs of a scam so that they can avoid falling
victim.
During 2022, PG&E has received more than 7,200 reports from
customers who were targeted by scammers impersonating the company.
That number is on pace to far exceed 2021, when there were more
than 11,000 reports for the entire year. In 2021, PG&E
customers lost over $600,000 to scammers.
“Protecting yourself from falling victim to a scam is as simple
as hanging up the phone. If you receive a call from someone
claiming to represent PG&E who is threatening disconnection if
you do not make immediate payment, just hang up and call our
customer service line or log into your pge.com account to confirm
your account details and balance. Remember, PG&E will never ask
for you for your financial information over the phone or via email
nor will we request payment via pre-paid debit cards or other
payment services like Zelle,” said PG&E’s Chris Zenner, Vice
President, Residential Services and Digital Channels.
Scammers are opportunistic and look for times when customers may
be distracted or stressed, as has been the case during the COVID-19
pandemic. During this time, scammers have increased calls, texts,
emails and in-person tactics, and they are constantly contacting
utility customers asking for immediate payment to avoid service
disconnection. As a reminder, PG&E will never send a single
notification to a customer within one hour of a service
interruption and will never ask customers to make payments with a
prepaid debit card, gift card, any form of cryptocurrency or
third-party digital payment mobile applications.
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, customers can learn to detect and
report these predatory scams.
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 and 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 the
customer’s utility company overbilled and owes a refund or
rebate.
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, but they also can sign up for recurring payments,
paperless billing and helpful alerts.
Scammers impersonating trusted phone numbers
Scammers are now able to create authentic-looking 800 numbers
which appear on phone displays. The numbers don’t lead back to
PG&E if called back, however, so if customers have doubts, hang
up and call PG&E at 1-833-500-SCAM. If customers ever feel that
they are in physical danger, they should call 911.
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.
For more information about scams, visit pge.com/scams.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric
utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square
miles in Northern and Central California. For more information,
visit pge.com and pge.com/news.
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