ATLANTA -- Scam artists are again attempting to prey on Georgia Power customers in order to obtain private information and possible access to financial accounts.

Scammers have contacted many Georgia Power customers in recent weeks, and usually they claim to enroll them in a program where the president of the United States or some other government entity will help them pay their electric bill through a new federal stimulus program.

Customers may be contacted by email, U.S. mail, social media, text or direct phone calls.

The customers contacted are asked to provide their Social Security number and banking information to take advantage of this program. In exchange for providing their personal/banking information, the customers are given fraudulent banking information to "pay" their electric bill. 

When the information is presented to Georgia Power's depository bank, the customer's payment attempt is returned unpaid.

Georgia Power urges customers to refrain from giving out personal information if contacted about this or similar offers. Instead, please call law enforcement and Georgia Power at 1-888-660-5890 to report.

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 with rates below the national average. Georgia Power serves 2.4 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties.

www.georgiapower.com