(Portland, OR)  --  Portland General Electric and Pacific Power are reporting an increase in scams related to COVID-19.  So far this year, customers report losing more than 45-thousand dollars.  Thieves impersonate electric company employees using phone calls, texts, emails and even knocking on doors.  They threaten to disconnect service immediately unless they receive payment through a prepaid card or Bitcoin.  During the COVID-19 crisis, utilities have stopped disconnecting customers.