Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
CrimeNov 10, 2014
Jewelers warned of utility scam targeting small shops
One California jeweler recently received a call asking her to cough up $1,100 because she, allegedly, was behind on her electricity bill. She knew better than to pay it.
Santa Monica, Calif.--One recent afternoon around 2 p.m., Evelyn Guerboian, who owns Readers Fine Jewelers with her husband Eddie, received a call from a panicked employee.
Southern California Edison called, the employee said, and they are going to shut the lights off by 5 p.m. tonight if the store doesn’t pay its overdue electricity bill.
A business owner for nearly 40 years, Guerboian was almost certain she was up to date on the store’s utilities but returned the call anyway, thinking that perhaps one bill had slipped through the cracks.
She said when she called back the number left by alleged utility company employee, she was told her store owed $1,100. That is when she knew it was a scam. She might have missed one payment, but Guerboian was certain she wasn’t that far behind on the store’s bills.
The Santa Monica jeweler is one of thousands of small business owners in southern California currently being targeted by scam artists who call pretending to be the utility company and demanding immediate payment via the purchase of prepaid debit cards.
Now, Southern California Edison, or SCE, is asking Guerboian to help spread the word to jewelers nationwide, as the culprits are likely to try their scam in other states. Bank of the West recently posted a blog giving business owners four tips for avoiding these types of scams, stating that “similar scams have been noted around the country.”
According to an alert distributed by the SCE, the scam artists have targeted more than 8,000 of its customers since December 2012 and cheated them out of more than $250,000. About 90 percent of their targets are small businesses--markets, hair salons, car washes, family-owned jewelry stores, etc.--and the vast majority of those are owned by Hispanic, Asian and Middle Easterners for whom English might be a second language.
Lately, those perpetrating the scams have been “double-“ and even “triple-dipping.” They are calling back those sucked into the scam and telling them the payment didn’t go through and to resend the money a second, or even a third, time.
The utility company said that while it is working closely with local and federal law enforcement agencies, the scam is difficult to stop because the majority of the calls come from outside the United States.
In the meantime, they offer the following tips for small business owners, including jewelers, in southern California.
--Pay
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
attention to the number. The scam artists often use “off” phone numbers such as 888 or other combinations. Anytime the SCE contacts customers, the call will come from an 800 number. Also, the scammers will give an extension number when leaving their callback digits; SCE does not use extension numbers.
--Listen to the content of the call. SCE said it does not threaten customers with service shut-off for two weeks. The company would not, as the caller did in the Readers Jewelers case, call at 2 p.m. to say the electricity would be shut off in three hours. Also, SCE does not accept Green Dot or Vanilla reloadable debit cards.
--Note the timing of the call. SCE said it does not call its customers on weekends or holidays.
--Don’t give out any vital information over the phone. “These imposters are great fishers of information,” said Arthur Chico, who works for SCE Corporate Security. “You never know who they are, and imposters will use that information against you.”
At Readers, Guerboian, who has owned the shop with her husband for 38 years, said after getting off the phone with the scammers, she immediately checked her bill online, which confirmed her suspicion that it was a trick. Her account was current.
Other business owners have not been as wise, though. The jeweler said she knows of a nearby coffee shop and bakery that were taken in by the call.
Guerboian said she told SCE she had received one of these calls and now is spreading the word to other jewelers through industry organizations such as Jewelers of America.
In southern California, business owners who receive a suspicious call should contact the SCE’s call center at 800-655-4555. It is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
More on Crime
The Latest
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is … Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
