Sawnee EMC warns of phone scam

CUMMING, GA —Forsyth County residents are being warned to avoid a phone scam being run in the area.

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation says several customers have claimed they got phone calls from someone claiming to work at the EMC, the Forsyth County News is reporting.

The caller told the customers that their power bill was overdue and that electricity would be shut off in an hour unless they bought a prepaid Visa card, called back and paid their bill over the phone.

“Sawnee EMC definitely does not call people and threaten them in that way,” Blake House, vice president of member services for the Cumming-based company, told the News. “We don’t take payments that way.”

Sawnee says three people reported being contacted with the scam on Sunday and a “couple” more on Monday. No one who contacted Sawnee had fallen for the scam, though people have in the past.

House said Sawnee recommends filing a report with authorities if you receive a similar call.