Over the years it hasn’t been uncommon for me to sell properties where sellers are running tight on cash. When you take all the sale preparation expenses into account they can really add up, especially when people try to remodel and take on large projects. Money can run low, bills can go unpaid. It happens and there are criminals out there preying on these sellers as well as everyday citizens.
Not too long ago I got a call from a seller asking me to help pay the PG&E bill. It seems they had neglected the bill for some time and got an email and call saying their power would be turned off in two hours if they didn’t pay the utility bill. It’s a frightening concept for a home seller for a number of reasons (1) we need power in houses to live (2) we need power in houses to show them in the best possible light, pun intended (3) if the lights went out we would send a signal to buyers that our sellers are running short of funds, that’s like chumming the water for sharks.
My seller was out of town and offered to Venmo me the cash so I agreed. I received the money and a PG&E ‘representative’ reached me on my cell and directed me to pay at a kiosk in Bret Harte. He said he didn’t want to turn off the power and would stay on the phone with me to confirm receipt of the payment. PG&E offices were closed to the public, which I was able to confirm after the fact. The unfolding scenario seemed entirely plausible. However it didn’t pass the smell test.
The kiosk turned out to be a bit coin machine in the Bret Harte market. “Bit coin? Only criminals use bit coin.” I told the PG&E impostor over the phone as he tried to convince me to put a large sum of cold hard untraceable cash into the machine.
“Google my number, you’ll see I’m calling from PG&E.” If his number read PG&E on my phone surely he must be legit. I’m sure lots of people who don’t watch John Oliver have fallen for that one.
“I wasn’t born yesterday. I know you can cloak numbers and make it look like you are calling from anywhere.” Thank you John Oliver for your segment on Robocalls. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO0iG_P0P6M
A word to the wise, that there are grifters posing as PG&E representatives, threatening to turn off your electricity if you don’t immediately pay them cash. Don’t fall for it, especially if you are directed to pay at a bitcoin machine. And watch more John Oliver, he’s a comic genius!
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