PG&E is partnering with the Federal Trade Commission for National Consumer Protection Week to help customers recognize and avoid potential scammers claiming to be the utility company.
Examples of a potential scam include a threat to disconnect your electricity, a request for immediate payment, a request for a prepaid card, or even a refund or rebate offer.
Representatives of PG&E say scammers are even impersonating trusted phone numbers and websites to create "authentic-looking" 1-800 numbers that appear on your phone display.
PG&E says it received more than 26,000 reports from customers claiming they were targeted by scammers impersonating the company in 2024.
“Our customers in 2024 lost nearly $650,000 to scammers," said PG&E spokesperson Neil Hebert. "That is a huge number, but it's likely underreported because not everyone that falls to a scam reports a scam."
The trend continues into this year with over 1,700 reports of attempted PG&E scams in January alone, totaling a loss of nearly $22,000 nationwide, according to reports received by the company.
“You should be aware of scammers, especially nowadays with technology and how easy it is to impersonate a PG&E employee," Hebert said. "The emails can look so much like something that we send out. Over the phone, too — if someone is threatening to turn off your power over the phone for immediate payment, we will never do that. So make sure you contact us via pge.com and reach out that way.”
PG&E is urging its customers to report all suspicious-looking activity. You can do that by visiting pge.com/scams or consumer.ftc.gov.
