Today is National Utility Scam Awareness Day, and Georgia Power is providing customers ways to protect themselves from scams.

Georgia Power urges customers to be cautious when contacted by an unverified person claiming to be a Georgia Power representative. The company will never ask a customer to provide a credit card or pre-paid debit card number over the phone, doesn't send employees into the field to collect payment in person or ask a customer to pay anywhere other than a business office or Authorized Payment Location.

Georgia Power also provides the following guidance for customers: 

• If an account becomes past due, Georgia Power will contact the customer via a prerecorded message to the primary account telephone or by letter requesting that the customer call Georgia Power to discuss the account.

• If a customer receives a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from Georgia Power and demanding payment to avoid disconnection, the customer should contact the company's 24-hour customer service line at 888-660-5890. Customers can also contact customer service via email at www.georgiapower.com or stop by a local Georgia Power business office.

• If an employee needs to visit a customer's home or business for a service-related issue, they will be in uniform and present a badge with a photo, their name and the company's name and logo. They will also be in a vehicle marked with the company's logo.

Georgia Power is committed to exposing the tricks scammers use to steal money and sharing the information customers can use to protect themselves.  The company reminds customers through public service announcements (PSA) how they can defend themselves against scammers and how they can avoid falling victim to common mistakes. The PSAs were produced in English and Spanish and can be viewed on the company's YouTube channel.

Additional information about frequent scams and how the company works to protect customers is available at http://www.georgiapower.com/in-your-community/scam-alert.