Sonora, CA — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) warns that scammers cost utility customers more than $300,000 last year and revealed that over a dozen were from the Sonora area, where they reported a twist on the scam.
It is not a new scam, but it remains the most commonly used by fraudsters who call customers and demand urgent payment to prevent disconnection. However, in recent months, the company reported a surge in Sonora customers, 19 in all, reporting utility staff impostors knocking on their doors and demanding to view their PG&E bills. Company authorities warn that this suggests scammers are using new approaches.
“If you receive a phone call threatening disconnection if you do not make immediate payment, or if someone at your door asks to see your utility bill, hang up, close the door, and slam the scam. Then, call our 800 number or log into your account at PGE.com to verify your billing details,” said Matt Foley, lead scam investigator for PG&E. “Remember, PG&E will never ask you for financial information over the phone or for payment via prepaid debit cards or money transfer services like Zelle, and we won’t ask to see your bill at your door,” he said.
The company reports that criminals continue to target utility consumers at a high rate. In 2025, PG&E received about 24,000 reports from consumers who had been targeted by scammers impersonating personnel, resulting in approximately $301,000 in fraudulent payments, with the average customer losing $590. Unfortunately, they added that the figure is likely only the tip of the iceberg in terms of total scam efforts, as many go unreported.
According to company officials, small and medium-sized businesses are also falling prey to fraudsters who will concentrate their efforts during peak business hours, exploiting company owners’ sense of urgency to keep the doors open and the lights on. In fact, PG&E received roughly 850 allegations of scams targeting corporate customers in 2025.
PG&E shares these important tips to help educate customers on how to spot the signs of a scam and avoid falling victim:
Signs of a potential scam:
- Threat to disconnect: Scammers may aggressively demand immediate payment for an alleged past-due bill.
- Asking to see your bill: If someone comes to your home and asks to see your bill, they are not with PG&E.
- Request for immediate payment via prepaid debit card or money transfer service: Scammers may instruct the customer to purchase a prepaid debit card and then call them back supposedly to make a bill payment, or they may ask for payment via a money transfer service like Zelle.
- Refund or rebate offers: Scammers may say that your utility company overbilled you and owes you a refund or that you are entitled to a rebate and then ask you for your banking information.
How customers can protect themselves:
- Customers should never purchase a prepaid card to avoid service disconnection or shutoff. PG&E does not specify how customers should make a bill payment and offers a variety of ways to pay a bill, including accepting payments online, by phone, automatic bank draft, mail, or in person.
- If a scammer threatens immediate disconnection or shutoff of service without prior notification, customers should hang up the phone, delete the email, or shut the door. Customers with delinquent accounts receive an advance disconnection notification, typically by mail and included with their regular monthly bill.
- If someone comes to your door claiming to be with PG&E, customers should know that PG&E personnel carry identification and are always prepared to show it upon request. If a customer still has doubts, they can call 800-743-5000 to confirm whether an individual is there on official company business. And remember, if someone asks to see your bill, they are not with PG&E and you should close the door.
- As a reminder, PG&E will never send a single notification to a customer within one hour of a service interruption, and we will never ask customers to make payments with a prepaid debit card, gift card, any form of cryptocurrency, or third-party digital payment mobile applications like Zelle or Venmo.
- Signing up for an online account at pge.com is another 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. The numbers don’t lead back to PG&E if called back, however, so if you have doubts, hang up 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 one of these scammers, should contact local law enforcement. The Federal Trade Commission’s website is also a good source of information about how to protect personal information.
