The Oregon Department of Justice has learned about a phone scam targeting Oregon utility customers. Criminals posing as utility customer service agents are trying to get money and steal personal information by representing that customers’ accounts are overdue and require immediate payment through unusual means.

The thieves are using sophisticated technology that makes it appear to Caller ID systems that the call is coming from the utility when it is not. If you receive a questionable call, hang up and contact your utility directly at their published toll-free phone number, not through the number provided by the scammers.

Pacific Power, Eugene Water & Electric Board, and Portland General Electric have confirmed the calls are fraudulent. (See Pacific Power’s statement online at http://tinyurl.com/m3ny3dp, Eugene Water & Electric Board’s statement online at http://tinyurl.com/maxn5xu, and Portland General Electric’s statement online at http://tinyurl.com/lyv8xef. Other utilities’ customers may be impacted as the scam continues.

If you lost money to this scam, contact the Oregon Department of Justice online at www.oregonconsumer.gov or call 1-877-877-9392.