A Fresno family spent the Fourth of July without electricity after PG&E cut off their utilities and accused them of energy fraud, leaving them to endure days of triple-digit heat while trying to get answers.
For six days, the family lived out of a trailer as they fought to have their power restored.
“We’ve been suffering trying to make the best of the situation. It’s very hot,” Jessica Sicairos, who was accused of energy fraud, said.
Sicairos said she learned the utilities had been shut off while she was away.
“I was at the grocery store and I got to call that utilities were disconnected. On my way back home, I called them and they told me they were unable to tell me why my utilities were disconnected,” she said.
The family was initially told the shutoff was because they had not paid their bills, but they said that was not true.
They were then accused of meter tampering.
The family later…
This remains the most prevalent form of financial crime globally. It targets the direct access points to your money: your cards and your bank accounts.
- Skimming: Criminals use small devices called “skimmers” placed over ATM or point-of-sale card slots to capture the data from your card’s magnetic strip.
- Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud: This occurs during online shopping where a physical card isn’t required. Thieves use stolen card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes to make unauthorized purchases.
- Account Takeover (ATO): A hacker gains access to your online banking credentials (often through malware or phishing) and changes the contact details or passwords, locking you out while they drain your funds.