SCE warns customers of scam

Caller ID Spoofing is a practice in which a caller deliberately falsifies the information on your caller ID display to disguise their identity. Recently, there has been an increase in caller ID ‘spoofing’ whereby third parties use SCE’s phone numbers to lead people to believe that the calls are coming from us. In many instances, the “spoofers” misrepresent themselves as SCE employees or partners. Common complaints related to spoofed phone calls:

Calls were made multiple times per day Some calls were made outside of normal business hours (for example, 2 a.m.) Callers asked about customer’s usage or meter information

Customers were provided recommendations for purchasing alternative energy products Customers were asked to provide Social Security Numbers and other personal information

Tips and Reminders:

We take your privacy seriously and make every effort to protect your information We will not send solar representatives to your home, nor do we have solar companies contact anyone by phone We do not sell energy-related home improvement products

We will never ask for credit card information or electric usage information over the phone

We will not call you outside the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., except to provide customer requested outage updates If you believe that you are the recipient of a spoofed call, please note the information related to the call, and contact us at csinfogov@sce.com , or fill out the online fraud form

Committed to Safeguarding Your Privacy and Data

We’re committed to protecting your private account information. We use industry standard data protection technology to protect from external threats. We do not sell, or provide your information to unaffiliated third parties, except in limited circumstances described in the Privacy Notice on SCE.com.

Information We Collect

When you open an account, participate in an SCE program or use a service we provide, you provide us your information. We collect and use this data primarily to administer and manage your electric service. The core information we collect includes: Customer’s name Service and mailing address Phone and email addresses Billing-related information including payment history, electric usage data and power outage history Your Utility Bill Your bill contains personal information such as your account number, address, energy usage and billed amount. This information, if not protected from unauthorized individuals, could be used by scammers to access your SCE My Account or impersonate YOU. Unauthorized individuals can use your login information to access banking information, authorize others to access your data and even turn off service. We recommend never providing any information from your bill, or allowing someone you do not know, to have a copy or take a picture of your bill.

We Never …

Demand immediate payment over the phone to prevent service disconnection Request payment by cash or pre-paid cash card, such as Reloadit®, Vanilla®, ITunes®

Call a customer and ask for financial information over the phone Recommend a non-affiliated/contracted solar company or third party Illustration of a SCE photo ID badge How to Recognize SCE Employees Our employees always have their SCE Photo ID badge and our crews wear a company uniform. Our employee vehicles have permanent SCE logos on them. Illustration of a hand holding a cellphone with a lock on the screen Don’t Be Deceived by Impostors & Phone Scams Scammers continue to target utility customers. Typically, they pose as utility "collection" employees and threaten to disconnect electricity service unless a payment is made immediately using a pre-paid cash card. This is a scam. We don't want you to fall victim to it. Contact us if you have questions about your bill.

What to Do if a Scammer Contacts You If you suspect a phone call, email, or personal visit is fraudulent, remember: Never reveal personal information to anyone, including your SCE Account information, credit card, ATM or calling card number (or PIN number)

Never use the call-back number provided by an unknown caller to verify billing information

Ask for the caller’s name, department and business phone number End the call or interaction and report the incident to your local law enforcement. Call us at the telephone numbers on this page or on your utility bill.

Additional Reminders for Residential Customers

If someone calls and asks you to leave your residence at a specific time for a “utility-related” cause, call the police. This could be a burglary attempt set up by the caller. Be suspicious of anyone who arrives at your house without an appointment asking to check your appliances or wiring, or suggesting that there may be some other electrical problem inside or outside your residence.