Mariposa & Yosemite

Phone scams targeting Detwiler Fire victims, PG&E says

Jill Bollinger, 59, left, and Nick Bollinger, 37, right, load his cat into a vehicle after an evacuation was ordered for Mariposa residents due to the Detwiler fire in Mariposa, Calif., on Tuesday, July 18, 2017.
Jill Bollinger, 59, left, and Nick Bollinger, 37, right, load his cat into a vehicle after an evacuation was ordered for Mariposa residents due to the Detwiler fire in Mariposa, Calif., on Tuesday, July 18, 2017. akuhn@mercedsun-star.com

Officials with Pacific, Gas and Electric are warning Mariposa-area residents of phone scams targeting victims of the Detwiler Fire.

PG&E has taken reports from residents and law enforcement of customers receiving calls from people threatening to disconnect power unless an immediate payment is made, according to a news release.

Those calls are scams.

The energy provider’s credit department does not ask for personal information or a credit card number over the phone, officials said Wednesday.

Anyone who has received such a phone call and given credit card or checking account information should report it immediately to their credit card company or bank and to law enforcement, PG&E said.

At one point, as many as 11,000 customers in Mariposa County were without power because of the fire, officials have said.

Customers with concerns about the legitimacy of a call about a past due bill, service request or request for personal information can call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.

Thaddeus Miller: 209-385-2453, @thaddeusmiller

This story was originally published July 26, 2017 at 11:34 AM with the headline "Phone scams targeting Detwiler Fire victims, PG&E says."

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