Edison warns customers of scam

Southern California Edison is urging residents and business owners to be aware of a wire fraud scam.

Callers are misrepresenting themselves as utility employees and threatening to turn off electric and gas service to the customer if an immediate payment is not made, according to a Laguna Beach news release.

Customers are instructed to purchase a pre-pay credit card and directed to another phone number where information is then obtained from the card and the cash value removed.

Edison assures customers, including the 12,300 residents and businesses in Laguna, that it does not proactively contact them and ask for credit card information over the phone.

Customers should not provide any financial information by phone unless they have initiated the conversation.

For more information, call Edison at (800) 411-7343.

—Bryce Alderton

Twitter: @AldertonBryce