Just like so many people on the internet, you must also be trying hard to make sense of what this “WEBPGANDE” charge really means on your credit card bill, right? Well, it has something to do with PG&E (mentioned in the charge label as: PGANDE). Most likely, it is a legit charge, but it could be that there is something sketchy going on.
Why Does WEBPGANDE Show Up on Your Statement?
Okay, when an organization named PG&E draws funds directly from your bank account, or processes a charge to your plastic card, a series of numbers and letters denoted as “WEBPGANDE” will be displayed on your bank statement. Usually, when you pay your bill on the PG&E’s website or app, you will get an ACH debit, and in this case, you see such a descriptor. Moreover, you are likely to see the charge in two stages, the first being a small hold (like $1 or $2), and this is done as a practice of pre-authorization by PG&E to verify that the card is still valid.
How Much Are These Charges and How Often?
A majority of people get a WEBPGANDE charge on their PG&E bill every month. In most cases, a household would be spending between $70 and $150, depending on the amount of electricity and gas used. However, supposing that the weather is extremely unpleasant, for example, it is too hot and you are using the air conditioning the whole day, or it is too cold and the heater is on, the bill may go far beyond $200 at such an extreme season.
Why WEBPGANDE Might Worry You
The reality is that it is not just about mistaking “PG&E” for “WEBPGANDE,” but how your first reaction to that could be full of suspicion. And that is completely understandable. Such a name does not look familiar at all at first, and besides, it is not something new that scammers even claim they are the providers of utility services. For instance, contrary to the above findings, authentic PG&E purchases will appear with the best of WEBPGANDE or something very similar and will equal exactly the price of your bill for the month. When a person, pretending to call from PG&E, asks you to make payments with a gift card, through an unusual website or by any other way, it definitely is a scam. The charges issued on your bill will look just like this and be in line with what you are expected to pay and will not require any other forms of payment.
How to Check If the Charge Is Legit?
To begin with, the most straightforward way of finding out the WEBPGANDE fee is to access your authorized PG&E account from the internet or just check the payment confirmation email you received when you paid your bill. Then check whether the date and amount in that message are in line with what is shown in your bank or card statement. If everything fits, you are in the clear. In case some of the mentioned aspects don’t correspond, like the sum is way more than you have paid, the best thing to do is to contact the customer service of PG&E through their official phone number or the online help center on their website.
