During 2025, PG&E customers have lost nearly $300,000 to scammers
OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As the holiday season gets underway, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is joining Utilities United Against Scams to help customers recognize potential scams and to "slow down, verify and stop the scam" as part of Utility Scam Awareness Day on November 19.
During a time when many Californians are occupied with preparations for the holiday season, scammers are working to exploit unsuspecting customers with sophisticated tactics aimed at stealing their money. While many are aware of the potential for online shopping scams, the same danger exists for utility bill scams, where scammers will demand payment to prevent immediate disconnection, typically by telephone but also online or in person.
In fact, reports of scams targeting PG&E customers have remained alarmingly high throughout 2025. In fact, there have been over 21,000 reports year-to-date with customer losses of nearly $300,000, and an average loss of $670.
"Scammers will try to create a false sense of urgency to pressure customers by threatening immediate disconnection of your utility services if immediate payment is not made," said Matt Foley, lead scam investigator for PG&E. "Remember, PG&E will not contact you for the first time within one hour of service disconnection, and we will NEVER request payment by a pre-paid debit card or via online payment services like Zelle or Venmo. If a call doesn't feel right, hang up, and log into your account at PGE.com or call our customer service line to verify your billing details."
Small and medium-sized businesses are also a target, and scammers will focus their efforts during busy business hours, preying on business owners' sense of urgency to keep the doors open and the lights on. In fact, PG&E has received nearly 700 reports of scam attempts targeting these customers during 2025.
"Scammers continue to evolve their tactics, often using urgency and threats to pressure customers into making rash decisions," said UUAS Executive Director Monica Martinez. "The 'Slow Down, Verify, Stop the Scam' framework is a simple, powerful tool designed to cut through that pressure, giving customers the confidence to pause and confirm any suspicious request before it's too late."
How Customers can "Slow Down, Verify, Stop the Scam":
- Slow Down: If you receive a call threatening disconnection if immediate payment is not made, hang up and end the call. Remember, PG&E will NEVER call and request any payment information over the phone, and we will never ask you to make payment via a pre-paid debit card, Zelle, Venmo or other money transfer services. Customers with delinquent accounts will be contacted by PG&E with an advance disconnection notification, typically by mail, and included with their regular monthly bill.
- Verify: Log into "My Account" at PGE.com to check your account status or call PG&E customer service at 800-743-5000. NEVER use a phone number provided by the suspected scammer.
- Stop the Scam: Report the incident immediately to PG&E by calling 1-833-500-SCAM or by visiting PGE.com/scams and by calling local law enforcement. Reporting is key, as PG&E works with law enforcement agencies to spot trends in scam attempts and to educate customers on how to spot scams and avoid falling victim.
How customers can protect themselves
- Signing up for an online account at pge.com is an important safeguard. Not only can customers log in to check their balance and payment history, they can sign up for recurring payments, paperless billing and helpful alerts.
- Scammers Impersonating Trusted Phone Numbers: Scammers are now able to create authentic-looking 800 numbers which appear on your phone display. If called back, the numbers do not lead back to PG&E. If a customer has doubts about the authenticity of the call, they should hangup and call PG&E at 1-833-500-SCAM. If customers ever feel that they are in physical danger, they should call 911.
- Customers who suspect that they have been victims of fraud, or who feel threatened during contact with a scammer, should contact local law enforcement. The Federal Trade Commission's website is also a good source of information about how to protect personal information.
For more information about scams, visit pge.com/scams or consumer.ftc.org.
About Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS)
Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS) is a consortium of more than 150 U.S. and Canadian electric, water, and natural gas utilities (and their respective trade associations). UUAS is dedicated to combating impostor utility scams by providing a forum for utilities and trade associations to share data and best practices, in addition to working together to implement initiatives to inform and protect customers.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/ and http://www.pge.com/about/newsroom/.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pge-encourages-customers-to-slow-down-verify-stop-the-scam-on-utility-scam-awareness-day-302618935.html
SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company
