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Petaluma Police Warn Of Phone Scam Claiming Customers Owe PG&E

PETALUMA (CBS SF) -- Petaluma police are warning residents about a telephone fraud operation that claims people owe money on their PG&E accounts.

At least two Petaluma businesses were contacted this week and told their PG&E accounts were delinquent and needed immediate payment to avoid service interruption, acting Sgt. Ron Klein said.

The unknown caller said the businesses could purchase and use Green Dot debit cards to make payments by phone, Klein said.

One business fell for the scam and made a payment. The business later learned from PG&E its account was current and that PG&E had no knowledge of the Green Dot transactions, Klein said.

Petaluma and Sonoma County residents should contact PG&E directly if they are told they have a delinquent account and are asked to pay it by phone, Klein said.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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