#ConsumerProtection | AM 1180 Radio

November 13, 2026

Residents Warned About Scam Calls Threatening Immediate Power Disconnection

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Residents in Northwest Georgia are being warned about a telephone scam involving callers posing as representatives of Georgia Power and threatening to disconnect electricity unless an immediate payment is made.

According to a scam alert being circulated locally, the callers claim that a customer’s electric bill is past due and that service will be disconnected immediately unless payment is made over the telephone.

The scammers attempt to frighten customers into acting quickly, often demanding payment through prepaid debit cards, gift cards, wire transfers, mobile payment applications or cryptocurrency.

In some cases, scammers use a technique known as caller ID spoofing, which allows them to make an incoming call appear to originate from Georgia Power, even though the call is fraudulent.

Customers are reminded that Georgia Power does not demand immediate payment over the telephone under the threat of same-day disconnection.

Anyone receiving a suspicious call should hang up without providing payment information, bank account numbers, credit card information or other personal details.

Residents should also avoid trusting the name or telephone number displayed on caller ID, since scammers can manipulate that information.

Customers concerned about the status of their electric accounts should contact Georgia Power directly using the customer service number printed on their monthly bill or by visiting the company’s official website at GeorgiaPower.com.

Residents are encouraged to share the warning with friends, neighbors and older family members who may be particularly vulnerable to high-pressure telephone scams.

The warning also serves as a reminder to customers of other electric utilities that legitimate billing questions should always be verified directly with their utility provider rather than through an unexpected telephone call.

October 29, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

FTC Sues Dollar General Over Allegations Of Overcharging Customers

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaInfo, #CloudlandGA, #ConsumerProtection, #DeceptivePricing, #DollarGeneral, #FTCLawsuit, #GoreGA, #lyerlyga, #MenloGA, #northwestgeorgia, #RetailPricing, #summervillega, #trionga, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

The Federal Trade Commission and 20 states have filed a federal lawsuit against Dollar General, accusing the discount retailer of repeatedly charging customers more at checkout than the prices displayed on store shelves, price tags and advertisements.

October 21, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Medicare Enrollment Period Brings Warning About Scams Targeting Seniors

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaInfo, #ConsumerProtection, #FTC, #Medicare, #northwestgeorgia, #ScamAlert, #SeniorCitizens, #summervillega, #trionga, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

With Medicare’s annual open enrollment period underway, federal officials are warning senior citizens to be on the lookout for scams involving health insurance coverage.

October 7, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Residents Warned About Jury Duty And Fake Law Enforcement Scams

Local News, Local News Items #CallerIDSpoofing, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaInfo, #ConsumerAlert, #ConsumerProtection, #CryptocurrencyScam, #ElderFraud, #FraudAlert, #FraudPrevention, #GeorgiaConsumers, #GeorgiaScams, #GiftCardScam, #IdentityTheft, #ImpersonationScam, #JuryDutyScam, #LawEnforcementScam, #lyerlyga, #MenloGA, #northwestgeorgia, #OnlineSafety, #PennvilleGA, #PhoneScam, #ProtectYourMoney, #PublicSafety, #ScamAlert, #ScamWarning, #SeniorCitizens, #SeniorScams, #summervillega, #trionga, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

Chattooga County residents are being reminded to be cautious of telephone scams in which callers pose as law enforcement officers, court employees or federal agents and threaten victims with arrest unless money is paid immediately.

October 4, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Cybersecurity Awareness Month Focuses On Protecting Georgians From Online Threats

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaInfo, #CISA, #ConsumerProtection, #CyberSafety, #CyberSecurity, #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth, #FraudPrevention, #GEMA, #GEMAHS, #GeorgiaEmergencyManagement, #IdentityTheft, #InternetSafety, #lyerlyga, #MenloGA, #northwestgeorgia, #OnlineSafety, #Phishing, #PublicSafety, #ScamAwareness, #summervillega, #trionga, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and Georgia emergency management officials are encouraging residents, businesses and government agencies to take simple steps to protect themselves from increasingly common online threats.

September 24, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Ag Commissioner Warns Residents About Unlicensed Door-To-Door Pest Control Operators

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #chattoogacountynews, #ChattoogaInfo, #ConsumerAlert, #ConsumerProtection, #ConsumerWarning, #DoorToDoorPestControl, #DoorToDoorSales, #FairBusinessPracticesAct, #GeorgiaAgriculture, #GeorgiaConsumers, #GeorgiaDepartmentOfAgriculture, #Homeowners, #HomeSafety, #LocalNews, #lyerlyga, #MenloGA, #northwestgeorgia, #northwestgeorgianews, #PennvilleGA, #PestControl, #Pesticides, #PesticideSafety, #ScamAwareness, #StructuralPestControl, #summervillega, #trionga, #TylerHarper, #UnlicensedOperators, #UnlicensedPestControl, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

Chattooga County residents who are approached at their homes by someone offering pest control services are being urged to ask for a state-issued license before signing a contract or allowing any work to begin.

September 19, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

United Community Bank Warns Seniors And Families About Financial Scams

Local News, Local News Items #BankScams, #CallerIDSpoofing, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaInfo, #ConsumerProtection, #CyberSecurity, #ElderFraud, #ElderScams, #FinancialFraud, #FraudAlert, #FraudPrevention, #IdentityTheft, #lyerlyga, #MenloGA, #NorthGeorgia, #northwestgeorgia, #PennvilleGA, #Phishing, #PhoneScams, #ProtectOurSeniors, #ScamAlert, #SecureSeniors, #SeniorCitizens, #SeniorSafety, #summervillega, #TextScams, #trionga, #UnitedCommunityBank, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

United Community Bank is reminding older adults and their families to stay alert for financial scams that use phone calls, text messages and emails designed to appear as though they are coming from a trusted bank, business or even a family member.

September 18, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

New Georgia Law Gives Banks More Power To Stop Suspected Elder Financial Exploitation

Local News #BankFraud, #BitcoinATM, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaInfo, #ConsumerProtection, #Cryptocurrency, #CryptoScams, #ElderFraud, #FinancialExploitation, #FinancialSafety, #FraudPrevention, #GeorgiaLaw, #georgianews, #HB945, #lyerlyga, #MenloGA, #northwestgeorgia, #PublicSafety, #ScamAlert, #SeniorCitizens, #SeniorSafety, #summervillega, #trionga, #WZQZ, #wzqznews, georgia 0

Georgia financial institutions now have additional authority to temporarily stop transactions when they suspect an elderly or disabled customer is being financially exploited.

September 7, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Jury Duty Scam Continues To Target Northwest Georgia Residents

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Northwest Georgia residents are being warned about a convincing telephone scam in which callers impersonate law enforcement officers and claim the person receiving the call failed to report for jury duty and now faces arrest.

September 2, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Power Says OpenAI Deal Will Save Customers $180 A Year — Critics Still Question Risks And Transparency

Local News, Local News Items #ArtificialIntelligence, #ChattoogaInfo, #ConsumerProtection, #DataCenters, #EffinghamCountyGA, #ElectricRates, #EnergyCosts, #georgianews, #georgiapower, #georgiapsc, #northwestgeorgia, #OpenAI, #PowerBills, #PublicServiceCommission, #Ratepayers, #UtilityRates, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

Georgia Power says a newly approved contract to provide electricity to OpenAI’s massive data center project in Effingham County will ultimately help lower costs for residential customers, but consumer and environmental advocates say significant questions remain about the unprecedented growth of data centers and how their costs will be tracked.