Our office has received several recent reports of scam phone calls threatening to shut off your power if an alleged past due payment to PG&E is not made. The scammers demand that payment be made using a Green Dot card, MoneyPak card, or other cash or gift cards.
This scam is becoming more detailed with the callers using specific names of customers, guessing general dollar amounts owed, disguising their true phone numbers with a caller ID that says “PG&E” or “Pacific Gas & Electric” and having an outgoing message on the call back number that is identical to the message received when phoning PG&E’s actual telephone number.
Consumers should be aware that PG&E never solicits personal information, banking information, credit card numbers, or gift card numbers over the phone.
Anyone who has received such a call and provided credit card or checking account information, gift card serial numbers, and/or personal information should report the incident immediately to their credit card company or bank and to law enforcement. You can also report the scam to PG&E at 1-833-500-SCAM (1-833-500-7226), not the callback number left on your voicemail or answering machine. For more information please visit PG&E’s customer service website.