“They’re asking (customers) for (their) personal credit information and their debit information, and they’ve made away with money thats not going to the utility,” said Edison spokeswoman Anna Frutos-Sanchez. “And if you do get a call, or someone comes to your door, you should always ask for identification. (SoCal) Edison employees always carry a badge.”
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The utility wanted to put out the word because the corporate office was notified over the last few days that several people have been called through this scam.
“We don’t demand money over the phone, unless you call our customer service department and going thorugh the right channel,” Frutos Sanchez said. “And, as a consumer, you should always question those types of calls.”
Imposters have been calling SCE customers, telling them they must make immediate payment on past due bills or have their electric service disconnected, according to the SCE statement. The callers are also demanding that payment be made through a prepaid cash card, such as a PayPal or Green Dot card.
“We ask our customers to be alert to these calls that demand immediate payment and threaten service disconnection,” said Henry Martinez, SCE vice president of Safety, Security & Compliance. “Customers suspecting a fraudulent call should ask for the caller’s name, department and business phone number.
“If the caller refuses to provide this information, customers should terminate the call and report the incident immediately to local police or SCE at 800-655-4555,” he said.
SCE Official: Always Question ID of Utility Workers
