Georgia Power has issued a reminder to customers to be vigilant against utility scams, particularly on National Utility Scam Awareness Day and during the holiday season. The company notes that scammers often attempt to pressure individuals by threatening immediate service disconnection unless payment is made or by seeking updates to billing information in order to obtain personal data.
The company advises customers who receive suspicious calls from someone claiming to represent Georgia Power and demanding immediate payment to hang up and check their account status directly at GeorgiaPower.com. Customers are also urged not to trust caller ID identifications, as scammers have promoted fraudulent 800 numbers. Instead, they should use the customer service number listed on their bill (888-660-5890), which can be verified at GeorgiaPower.com/ContactUs.
Emails requesting urgent payments or personal information from entities other than Georgia Power should be deleted. The company warns about evolving scams involving unauthorized payment apps, such as Cash App, where fraudsters may use the company’s logo illegally. Georgia Power clarifies it does not accept payments via Cash App but does accept Venmo, Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal.
Another reported scam involves fake digital ads on platforms like Google that direct users to non-official websites for bill payments and then request sensitive information. Customers are reminded always to ensure they are using the official website—GeorgiaPower.com—when making payments online.
Georgia Power outlines several practices it does not engage in:
– It does not call customers asking for credit card or pre-paid debit card numbers over the phone.
– It does not accept cryptocurrency as a payment method.
– It does not call customers to set up automatic payments or update sensitive account information over the phone.
– Employees do not collect payments in person except at Authorized Payment Locations (APLs).
If an account becomes past due, communication will come through a pre-recorded message or letter requesting the customer contact the number on their bill; these messages will not ask customers to stay on the line or press a number for immediate assistance.
In rare cases where an employee must visit a customer’s property for service issues, they will be in uniform with proper identification and arrive in a marked vehicle.
Georgia Power continues its efforts with law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute those posing as employees in order to defraud customers. Customers are encouraged to report any suspected scams at GeorgiaPower.com/ReportAScam.
