Scam artists have been active throughout Georgia recently, including within the Savannah Electric service area, in a series of attempts to victimize customers.

Several methods have been reported by residents in South Georgia and surrounding areas. Among the most troubling are reports of persons coming to the home and claiming to be from “the power company.” The visitor makes some pretext to gain entry into the home or to get the resident outside. In some cases, a second, unseen accomplice is believed to enter the home, taking money and other valuables. No actual reports of loss have been reported in the Savannah Electric area.

In a separate fraud scheme, individuals call customers posing as Georgia Power or Savannah Electric employees. In an apparent identity-theft ruse, the callers claim to need personal information due to a “company database failure,” or, in an old favorite, claim that the customer must pay them a certain amount of money to avoid power disconnection.

Neither Georgia Power nor Savannah Electric employees will call a customer at home seeking personal information. Field service representatives do not ask a customer for money when they visit a residence. All company representatives carry badges with picture identification, their name and the company’s name and logo. Any field service representatives will also be in uniform and in vehicles marked with the company’s logo. To view official company uniforms visit www.savannahelectric.com.

Savannah Electric employees will rarely, if ever, need to come inside your home, unless you have called for a specific service requiring inside work.

Customers are asked to please take care before opening their doors to anyone without first verifying their identity and reason for the visit.

Likewise, customers are encouraged to never give out personal information, credit card numbers, money, or otherwise make payments that have been solicited by someone claiming to be from Savannah Electric or Georgia Power.

Savannah Electric asks customers to report such calls to the police and also to the company at 1-800-437-3890.