PG&E customers have lost more than $211,00 to scammers so far this year, a total that is on pace to surpass last year’s losses, the utility company said Tuesday. Victims have lost an average of $969 from scammers through the first half of 2026, according to PG&E. In all of 2025, customers lost more than $301,000, with an average loss of $590.
The highest number of reports this year have come from several Bay Area counties, including Alameda County with 399 cases, Santa Clara County with 372, Contra Costa County with 278 and San Francisco with 176. San Mateo County had 143, Marin County 58 and Solano County 102, the utility said.
Traditionally, scammers have placed phone calls demanding payment if the victim wants to keep their power on. But the latest scam involves a phony barcode or QR code sent by text or email that threatens to disconnect service and directs customers to take it to a store or business to pay at the register. “Scammers are constantly evolving their tactics to defraud customers, and the latest ‘barcode scam’ is a prime example of that,” said lead PG&E scam investigator Matt Foley. “If you receive a call of this nature, hang up.”PG&E said scammers often rely on urgency, threatening immediate shutoff or demanding payment through prepaid cards, money transfer apps, cryptocurrency, gift cards or through apps such as Zelle or Venmo.The company said it would never ask for payment using those methods.PG&E also said customers should not show their utility bill to anyone who comes to the door claiming to represent the company.The announcement comes as California residents are feeling the squeeze on energy prices, with PG&E saying its bills will increase by $128 annually for average households with gas and electricity service…