Elizabeth Wilson
Staff Writer
LUCERNE ? North Shore Apartments manager Gloria Hatt knew something was fishy when two of her residents were visited by supposed Pacific Gas & Electric Company representatives.
“PG&E usually comes through me, in the office, they don”t go knocking door to door,” said Hatt.
But that”s exactly what happened this week at the low-income rural housing community in Lucerne. According to Hatt, a notice was left on one of her elderly resident”s apartment door. It had the PG&E logo on it, but several elements of the notice looked odd.
“It said “please call” in pencil: 866-846-0602, next to a name “Joseph Bedorgha-rwi” which looked strange, and when she called?fortunately she hadn”t been home at the time and they just left the notice ? she got a hold of someone named “Autumn” who said they were PG&E and that they needed to check on their electricity.
They told her they would also be checking apartment four the next day, which made me nervous because that resident is no longer there ? so I put a note on Apartment four”s door saying “PG&E report to the office, but no one did,” said Hatt.
PG&E was unable to confirm by press time Friday whether or not they had sent out personnel to the North Shore Apartments Aug. 13, the date of the incident, but North Coast PG&E representative Jana Schuering said it did not sound as if the people who left the flyer were PG&E employees, citing that it is not the company”s typical protocol to leave flyers, nor is it typical for information to be given out over the phone telling one customer about another customer”s upcoming service schedule.
Additionally, customers are contacted or told to call an 800 number at the customer service center when something breaks or PG&E needs to check the meters located on the outside of homes. That number is 800-743-5000.
Schuering said, “In most cases for apartments or assisted living complexes, PG&E will contact the management staff, and the resident will be notified if any work needs to be done.”
She had advice for senior citizens and others who feel they are being conned by someone posing to be other than what they represent themselves to be, “Always contact the management. It”s better to be safe than sorry. Plus, ask for identification, and don”t hesitate to have a look out the window to make sure they”re driving a PG&E vehicle,” said Schuering.
When it comes to personal homes, Schuering said, “If you haven”t called them, they usually are checking the meters on the outside of the home? We”re definitely looking into this incident and will have more information Monday,” she said.
Hatt reported the incident to PG&E and the Lake County Sheriff”s Dept. “PG&E said ?we have nothing on record about sending anyone to the address,” and when I called the Sheriff they said ?call PG&E and just report it if it happens again”? I”m concerned for my tenants, they are all elderly, some don”t see well, some don”t hear well, it”s just very dangerous to think that someone is going around here knocking on doors pretending to be PG&E, it just makes me feel very uneasy. Something could be jeopardized,” said Hatt.
The National Center on Elder Abuse estimates that as many as 5 million seniors are victimized by scam artists each year.
Experts say seniors should take steps such as screening calls, and avoiding filling out contest entries or other material with personal information scammers use to build phone lists.
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