A Yucca Valley man was recently conned out of more than $800 by scammers posing as employees of Southern California Edison. According to Sheriff’s reports, the callers said the man had outstanding bills and that they would shut off the power to his home if they did not receive immediate payment through prepaid money cards. The victim purchased two prepaid cards totaling $811 and gave the card numbers to the scammers. It was only after the man called Edison directly that he realized he had been scammed. Sara Snyder offers these tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of this scam…
Imposters claiming to be from SoCal Edison are calling businesses and residents and telling them their electric bills are overdue. The caller demands immediate payment through a prepaid cash or debit card to avoid having their electricity disconnected. The scammers then collect the value deposited on the card. A Southern California Edison spokeswoman said SCE employees will never ask for payment over the phone, in person at a customer’s business or residence, nor does SoCal Edison accept PayPal payments. Customers should never give out personal information over the telephone. Do not call back the number given to you; use the phone number on your electric bill. Customers suspecting a fraudulent call should ask for the caller’s name, department, and business phone number, and then they should call SCE at 800-655-4555 to report the incident. For more ways customers can stay safe, see the safety tips at www.sce.com.
