How do I know if a call is really from a government agency?

Legitimate government agencies never call demanding immediate payment, threatening arrest, or asking for gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Hang up and call the agency directly using their official number from usa.gov.

What is a pig butchering scam?

Pig butchering is a long-con investment fraud where scammers build fake friendships or romances over weeks before introducing a fake crypto investment platform. Losses average $120,000 per victim. Any unsolicited investment tip is a red flag.

What should I do if I have already been scammed?

Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, the FBI at IC3.gov, and your state attorney general. If a bank transfer was involved, call your bank immediately — you may have a window to reverse it. Document everything: screenshots, phone numbers, transaction records.

New Barcode Scam Targets Utility Customers, Stealing Thousands

Your next utility bill could cost you twice. Once to your energy company. Once to a scammer who never planned to leave any lights on.

What Is the PG&E Barcode Scam?

Pacific Gas and Electric Company is warning customers about a new fraud targeting utility accounts. Scammers contact you with a fake disconnection threat. They demand immediate payment to keep your power running. Then they send a barcode or QR code by text or email. You are told to take that code to a local store and pay cash right there at the counter.

That payment does not go to your utility company. It goes straight to the fraudster.

PG&E issued an official warning on 15 June 2026 as reports of this tactic increased across their service area. Customers who acted quickly out of fear lost hundreds of dollars with no way to recover it. The scam is specifically designed to bypass your instinct to double-check before paying.

Why Does This Scam Work on So Many People?

Fear is the weapon. Nobody wants their power cut off. Scammers know that and use it against you. They manufacture a deadline that pushes you to act before you think.

The barcode or QR code makes the whole thing feel legitimate. You scan codes every day at shops, restaurants, and car parks. That familiarity is exactly what the scammer is counting on. When something looks like a normal payment method, your guard drops.

The timing matters too. If the message arrives on a day when you are already stressed or distracted, it is even harder to pause and question it. Fear plus urgency plus a convincing-looking code is a combination that catches a lot of people off guard, including careful ones.

How Does the Barcode Scam Actually Work?

The scammer creates a barcode or QR code linked to a fraudulent payment account. When you scan it at a store kiosk or payment terminal, money transfers to the scammer immediately. These payment systems are built to be fast and final. There is no cooling-off period. There is no reversal.

Once the transaction completes, the money is gone and the scammer moves on. Your real utility account is completely untouched by any of this. You still owe your actual bill. You have now paid twice and the only person who benefited was the fraudster.

The scammer does not need your account number, your password, or any personal information to pull this off. They just need you to scan the code.

How Much Are People Actually Losing?

The financial damage is serious. According to PG&E, customers have lost over $211,000 to utility scams so far in 2026. The average loss per victim is $969.

That is close to $1,000 gone in a single transaction made under pressure. For most households, that is a month of groceries, a car payment, or an entire emergency fund wiped out in minutes. The loss is immediate and unrecoverable.

Utility scams target people across all age groups and income levels. Anyone who pays an energy bill is a potential target. The scam scales easily because millions of people receive utility bills every month and most of them fear losing access to power.

What Should You Do Right Now?

Never pay a utility bill via a barcode or QR code sent by text or email. Legitimate utility companies do not send payment codes this way.
Do not engage with the message. Hang up the call or delete the text. Do not click any links or scan any codes.
Log in to your official account directly. Go to your utility company's website or official app to check your real balance and payment status.
Call the number on your actual paper bill. Do not use any number provided in the suspicious message.
Report the scam. Contact your utility company and file a report with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Every report helps identify patterns and protect others.
Tell someone you trust. These scams spread because most people have not heard of them. A quick conversation with a family member or neighbour could save them hundreds of pounds.

The Bigger Picture

Scammers keep updating their tools. Barcodes and QR codes are now trusted enough to weaponise. No legitimate utility company will ever demand instant payment through a code sent via text. If someone is rushing you to pay right now, that urgency is the scam. Slow down. Verify. Protect yourself.

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