New phone scam has 'PGE' demanding payment to keep power on

A new scam is making its way around East Multnomah County — callers pretend to be with Portland General Electric and are seeking personal information and payments to keep power on.

The latest scam has been reported by several local residents in recent days to the Gresham Police Department. Often the caller ID will show as a legitimate number, further adding to the deception.

With threats of cutting power “within the hour,” the scammers will ask the victims to buy “Green Dot” mobile bank card or gift card, both of which are nearly impossible to recover if the scam is fallen for. They will attempt to rush the victim, not allowing them to think logically about the situation.

Another common scam is to tell victims they are entitled to a refund or discount from PGE, and will ask for your account number and other details.

The Gresham Police Department said if you get a scam call, hang up immediately and contact your utility provider directly to verify the status of your account. The longer you stay on the line, the more personal information they may glean.