PG&E customers have lost more than $211,000 to utility scams so far this year, with a new barcode and QR code payment scheme helping drive the losses.
The utility said losses reported by mid-2026 are on pace to exceed last year’s total, according to SiliconValley.com and a public warning from PG&E.
In 2025, PG&E received nearly 24,000 reports from customers who were targeted by scammers impersonating the utility. Customers reported more than $301,000 in fraudulent payments that year, with an average loss of $590…