A new wave of scammers is targeting SDG&E customers, threatening to turn off electric service unless they pay their bill immediately with a prepaid card. A common scam tactic is pretending to be SDG&E and asking to be paid with Green Dot MoneyPak. This is a way to send cash with prepaid or bank debit cards. Then, the customer is asked to use these prepaid debit cards or a wire transfer to pay their utility bill right away. The customer is asked to call a different phone number to provide the card information which allows the thieves to steal your money. Scammers may also play a recorded message and menu options that are like SDG&E’s to confuse victims. SDG&E’s official Customer Care Center phone number is 1-800-411-7343.
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SDG&E will never call a customer to ask for payment information nor send an email with a QR code for payment. If a caller claims to work for SDG&E and asks for payment over the phone, it is a scam. Hang up immediately. Only provide financial information by telephone if you initiate the call. After you hang up, you can call SDG&E at 1-800-411-7343 to verify information about your account. You can also view your account details, bills and payments with SDG&E’s mobile app or at sdge.com/myaccount.
There may be occasions when SDG&E will use automated messages to communicate changes to your account. But you’ll always be directed to log in to My Account to make the changes on your own.
Unfortunately, scams rise during times of uncertainty like the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’ve been a victim of fraud, call SDG&E at 1-800-411-7343 to report it. Visit sdge.com/scams for more information on how to spot a scam.