PG&E is warning you of a new trending scam. So far this year PG&E has received over 7,000 reports from people who were targeted by scammers impersonating the company. Last year there was a total of 11,000 scams for the entire year, making this a significant increase. In 2021, PG&E customers lost over $600,000 to scammers. Callers claiming to represent PG&E requesting payment via a pre-paid debit card or payment service like Zelle should be a red flag. This latest scam callers are contacting customers by both email and phone, telling you that your utility meter needs to be replaced and that immediate payment of a deposit is required to avoid disconnection. This is false information as PG&E will never send a single notification to you within one hour of a service interruption, and will never ask you to make payments with a pre-paid debit card, gift card, any form of cryptocurrency or third-party digital payment mobile applications. Scammers can be convincing and often target the most vulnerable, including senior citizens and low-income communities. They also aim their scams at small business owners during busy customer service hours and during heightened times of stress including wildfires. You can avoid being scammed by learning the signs of a scam. To learn what those are you can visit pge.com/scams
