#ConsumerProtection | AM 1180 Radio

October 4, 2026

Cybersecurity Awareness Month Focuses On Protecting Georgians From Online Threats

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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.

August 25, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Agriculture Officials Warn Of Fake Farmers Market Vendor Scam

Local News, Local News Items #AgricultureCommissioner, #AtlantaGA, #AtlantaStateFarmersMarket, #AvoidScams, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaInfo, #ClaytonCountyGA, #ConsumerAlert, #ConsumerProtection, #FacebookScam, #Farmers, #FarmersMarket, #FarmersMarkets, #FarmersMarketScam, #ForestParkGA, #FraudAlert, #GDA, #GeorgiaAgriculture, #GeorgiaDepartmentOfAgriculture, #GeorgiaFarmers, #GeorgiaGrown, #georgianews, #GeorgiaSmallBusiness, #GeorgiaVendors, #LocalNews, #lyerlyga, #MenloGA, #NorthGeorgia, #northwestgeorgia, #northwestgeorgianews, #OnlineFraud, #OnlineScam, #PublicSafety, #ScamAlert, #smallbusiness, #SocialMediaScam, #summervillega, #trionga, #TylerHarper, #Vendors, #VendorScam, #WZQZ, #wzqznews, georgia 0

The Georgia Department of Agriculture is warning farmers, vendors and small-business owners about a fraudulent event advertised on social media as being held at the Atlanta State Farmers Market.

August 19, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

North Georgia EMC Warns Members About Disconnect Scam Calls And Texts

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North Georgia EMC is warning its members to be on alert for scam phone calls and text messages threatening to disconnect electric service.

August 17, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Scammers Target Consumers With Fake Unclaimed Life Insurance Letters

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Consumers are being warned about a scam involving official-looking letters claiming the recipient may be entitled to millions of dollars in unclaimed life insurance money.

July 29, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Officials Urge Consumers To Watch For Common Scam Warning Signs

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The Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division is reminding Georgians to stay alert for common warning signs that often indicate a scam. Officials say scammers constantly adapt their tactics, but many fraud attempts share the same red flags.

Among the biggest warning signs are requests to pay money in order to claim a prize or get a job, pressure to act immediately, threats of arrest or claims that a loved one is in danger, and demands to pay with gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or other difficult-to-trace payment methods. Consumers should also be suspicious of unexpected requests for passwords, PINs, Social Security numbers, bank account information, or other personal financial details. Offers that sound too good to be true usually are.

If you receive a suspicious phone call, email, or text message, officials recommend hanging up or deleting the message without responding or clicking any links. Instead, contact the business or organization directly using a phone number or website you know is legitimate to verify whether the communication is real.

Anyone who believes they have been targeted by a scam can file a complaint with the Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division online or by calling 404-651-8600 or 800-869-1123.