PG&E customers have reported more than $211,000 in scam losses this year, and the utility says a new barcode and QR-code payment trick is part of the surge.
The scam starts with a familiar utility threat: pay immediately or lose power. The new version sends customers a barcode or QR code by text or email and tells them to take it to a store or business so a cashier can process the payment, according to Local News Matters.
PG&E said customers have lost an average of $969 each to utility scammers so far in 2026, up from an average loss of $590 in 2025…