ATLANTA, Ga. - March 9, 2009 - Several metro Atlanta residents have recently been victimized by a female imposter who claims to be a Georgia Power employee.

The individual contacts Georgia Power customers by phone, informing victims that their electric bill is past due and that an urgent credit card payment is needed to avoid loss of service within 24 hours.

If the scam artist receives credit card numbers from the Georgia Power customer, she then wires money from their credit card account to different locations or uses the number to make fraudulent purchases.

At least five to six area residents have been victimized since early March. The method of this scam is very similar to a scheme used in 2006 and may involve the same individuals.

Georgia Power employees will never call a customer at home seeking personal information. When a customer is past due on a bill, a recorded message is sent to the customer's home phone encouraging them to contact Georgia Power to discuss the status of their account.

Field-service representatives will never ask a customer for money when they visit a residence. All Georgia Power company representatives carry badges with picture identification, their name and the company's name and logo. To view official company uniforms go to www.georgiapower.com.

Georgia Power's Corporate Security department is working with local law enforcement agencies throughout the state to identify the perpetrators. If anyone has been victimized by this scheme, or has any information about suspects, they are asked to contact Georgia Power's Corporate Security department at 404-506-4116.

Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation's largest generators of electricity. The company is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility, serving customers in 57,000 of the state's 59,000 square miles. Georgia Power's rates are below the national average and its 2.3 million customers are in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties.

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