Puget Sound Energy warns customers about fraudulent billing e-mails

Published 10:27 am Thursday, December 15, 2011

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has posted an advisory warning its customers and others about a fraudulent e-mail that mimics a bill-payment notification.

The bogus e-mail does not affect PSE customer accounts, which are secure.

The e-mail looks like the notice PSE sends to online-billing customers when their utility bill is ready to be viewed and paid. The message contains PSE’s logo and some legitimate links to the utility’s site.

The phony e-mail, which has been sent to some PSE customers as well as individuals in other states who have never been a customer of the Washington utility, is part of a nationwide phishing scam that sends e-mails claiming to be from several well-recognized companies like PSE.

In its e-mail billing notifications, PSE always addresses customers by their full name rather than using “Dear Customer,” which is a clue of the fraudulent e-mail. A second indication of the false e-mail is the boldfaced message, “Refer to the attached file.”

PSE’s website (PSE.com) advises customers to take the following steps if they receive an e-mail addressed, “Dear Customer.”

• Do not click on the link in the e-mail or open any attachments, which may contain a virus.
• Delete the email notice immediately.
• PSE customers should call 1-888-225-5773 if they have questions or need further information.