The City of Milpitas has issued an alert about fraudulent red flyers circulating in the area promoting a fake clean energy program. These flyers are not from the city. If you received a red flyer, do not respond to it. Verify any flyer or program using the contact information listed at the bottom of this post.
As a small business in Milpitas, we stay connected to what's happening in our community — and that includes sharing important alerts from the city when they matter to residents and business owners. The City of Milpitas recently sent out a notice through its civic alert system warning about a scam involving fake clean energy flyers making the rounds in the area.
Here is what you need to know.
What the Scam Looks Like
A fraudulent red flyer is being distributed in Milpitas. It promotes what appears to be a city-approved clean energy program. The flyer is designed to look legitimate, but it is not an official city communication. The program it promotes is fake.
✖ The Fake Flyer (Scam)
- Red flyer
- Promotes a clean energy program
- Not issued by the City of Milpitas
- May ask you to sign up, provide personal information, or make a payment
- Do not respond — discard it
✔ The Real Program (Legitimate)
- Green flyers
- Officially approved and distributed by the City of Milpitas
- GoElectric program — milpitas.info/GoElectric
- Questions: goelectric@milpitas.gov
- Safe to engage with green flyers
What to Do If You Received the Red Flyer
- Discard the red flyer. Do not call any phone number, visit any website, or provide any personal information listed on a red flyer.
- Verify with the city directly. If you are unsure whether a program is legitimate, email goelectric@milpitas.gov or visit milpitas.info/GoElectric to see what the city actually offers.
- Tell your neighbors and employees. If you operate a business in Milpitas, let your team know. Residential areas and business parks around the city have both been affected by flyer distribution campaigns like this in the past.
- Report it. You can report scams to the Milpitas Police Department or the California Attorney General's Consumer Protection unit if you believe someone was defrauded.
- Official Milpitas communications come through milpitas.gov or via CivicSend email alerts
- The city's clean energy program (GoElectric) uses green flyers — not red
- Verify any flyer or program at milpitas.info/GoElectric
- Email the city directly: goelectric@milpitas.gov
- Sign up for free official city alerts (see below)
Sign Up for Milpitas City Alerts
The best way to stay ahead of local scams, construction alerts, community news, and city program announcements is to sign up for official Milpitas alerts through the city's CivicSend system. It's free, and the city sends updates about issues that actually affect Milpitas residents and businesses.
- Visit milpitas.gov and look for the “Notify Me” or “CivicSend” option
- Choose the types of alerts you want: scam alerts, public safety, business news, road closures, city council announcements, and more
- Alerts arrive by email — no app required
- The scam alert that prompted this post came directly through CivicSend — it's the same system we subscribe to
Milpitas City Government: An Ally for Local Businesses
We want to take a moment to recognize something that often goes unacknowledged: the City of Milpitas actively works to support local residents and local businesses. Between the GoElectric program, the Economic Development office, small business resources, and the quick, clear scam alert that prompted this post, the city communicates regularly and acts on real community concerns.
If you operate a business in Milpitas, we'd encourage you to:
- Sign up for milpitas.gov CivicSend alerts — they are useful and infrequent enough to not be overwhelming
- Bookmark the milpitas.gov website for official city resources
- Connect with the Milpitas Chamber of Commerce if you haven't already
A city that communicates clearly with its businesses and residents is an asset. Scam flyers like this one rely on confusion and lack of awareness — the antidote is staying connected to official sources.
B&H Is Your Milpitas Business Partner
B&H Accounting & Tax Services has been serving Milpitas businesses for years. We stay connected to our community because our clients are our neighbors. If you have questions about protecting your business from financial scams — or need help with bookkeeping, taxes, or payroll — we're here.
Call 408-256-0339