With Billing and Payment Scams Continuing to Peak During the Pandemic, PG&E Reminds Customers What They Can Do to Protect Themselves

With utility scams continuing to peak during the current pandemic, it is more important than ever for customers to be vigilant and to know what steps to take to prevent themselves or their families from falling victim.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, scammers have become increasingly deceptive and have increased calls, texts, emails, and in-person tactics. They are contacting electric and gas customers asking for immediate payment to avoid service disconnection. These impostors can be convincing and often target those who are most vulnerable, including senior citizens, those with limited English proficiency and low-income communities. They also aim their scams at small business owners during busy customer service hours.

In fact, there have been more than 2,700 attempted scams reported to PG&E’s customer service line since June 2021 alone, and the most common scam is a demand of immediate payment via a pre-paid debit card to avoid shutoff. Cities with the highest rates of reports are San Francisco (214), Santa Rosa (152), Bakersfield (133) and Fresno (100). Unfortunately, this number only represents reported scams, and there are countless other additional attempts every day seeking to defraud customers.

However, with the right information, customers can learn to detect and report these predatory scams.

“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. “Remember, PG&E will never ask for your financial information over the phone or via email. If you receive a call or email that demands immediate payment, please call our customer service line or visit PGE.com to access your account details.”

As a reminder, PG&E will never contact a customer for the first time within one hour of a service disconnection, and will never ask customers to make payments with a pre-paid debit card, gift card, any form of cryptocurrency, or third-party digital payment mobile applications. Here are some steps customers can take to protect themselves and their families against being victimized:

Register for My Account

• PG&E reminds customers that they can visit PGE.com and register for My Account. Signing in will provide instant access to balance information, payment history and other account details and will provide a first line of defense against scammers.
• If a customer receives a call from someone requesting immediate payment, they can log in to My Account to confirm whether their account is in good standing.
• Customers can also call PG&E Customer Service at 800-743-5000 if they think that they are being targeted by a scam.

Add a Family Member to Your Account