PG&E officials reported an increase in scams in the Bay Area that have been reported by consumers and which have at least doubled by 2022.
He noted that the holiday season has seen a high volume of reports of scammers posing as the utility and trying to take advantage of customers in PG&E's Northern and Central California service area.
The number of reports rose from just over 11,000 in 2021 to over 23,000 in 2022 through October alone. Utility officials anticipate that scammers will be even busier in December and January.
The largest number of scams in the Bay Area have occurred in San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland.
PG&E noted that the numbers do not capture the full scope of scam attempts overall, as many go unreported.
In turn, the company provided some methods consumers can use to avoid being scammed, including a list of signs of a potential scam:
-Disconnection Threat: Scammers can aggressively demand immediate payment on a supposedly past-due bill.
-Request for immediate payment: Scammers can direct the customer to buy a prepaid card and then call them back supposedly to pay a bill.
-Prepaid Card Request: When the customer calls back, the caller asks the customer for the prepaid card number, giving the scammer instant access to the funds on the card.
-Refund or Rebate Offers: Scammers may claim that your utility company overbilled you and owes you a refund, or that you are entitled to a rebate.
"Avoiding a scam is as simple as hanging up the phone," said Aaron Johnson, regional vice president for PG&E Bay Area.
Utility officials said signing up for an online account at pge.com is another protection. Customers can not only log in to check their balance and payment history, but they can also sign up for recurring payments, paperless billing, and helpful alerts.
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