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Georgia Power cautions customers on common utility scams

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Georgia Power cautions customers on common utility scams


In observance of National Utility Scam Awareness Day, Georgia Power is warning customers about the increasing prevalence of digital and mobile scams, including fraudulent payment requests through platforms like Cash App and fake digital ads, and urging them to report suspicious activity at www.GeorgiaPower.com/ReportAScam.

In light of the recent National Utility Scam Awareness Day, Georgia Power is highlighting scams that are targeting customers around the state. With evolving technology, scam attempts have become more digital and mobile-based though traditional telephone scams are still prevalent as well.

Customers are encouraged to report scams at www.GeorgiaPower.com/ReportAScam.   

Tech SCAM – Georgia Power Payment Through Cash App

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The company continues to hear of scammers requesting funds from customers via mobile and online means like Cash App, asking customers to pay an account that “looks like” Georgia Power, including illegal use of the company’s logo. Georgia Power does not accept payments via Cash App. Valid Georgia Power payment options include Venmo, Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal – learn more here. 

Tech SCAM – Fake Digital Ads

Georgia Power is receiving reports of digital ads on Google and other platforms that direct customers to non-company websites to pay their bills, which then request personal or financial information. Customers should always ensure that the webpage is the official Georgia Power website, with correct spelling: www.GeorgiaPower.com. Don’t be fooled by ads that lead to fake websites.  

Georgia Power works every day to combat new and existing scams and continues to partner with law enforcement and other agencies in supporting their efforts to identify and prosecute criminals who pose as Georgia Power employees to defraud customers. The company reminds customers of the following additional tips and guidelines to avoid becoming a victim of a scammer: 

Georgia Power:  

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  • Does not call to ask a customer to provide a credit card or pre-paid debit card number over the phone.  
  • Does not accept cryptocurrency as a payment option. Scammers often demand Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, or demand use of money transfer apps for immediate payments.  
  • Does not call customers to set up automatic payments, to “update” credit cards or other sensitive account information or to ask customers to “pay for a new meter.”  
  • The company also does not send employees into the field to collect payment in person or to pay anywhere other than an Authorized Payment Location (APL).  

Tips to #StopScams:  

  • If a customer receives a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from Georgia Power and demanding immediate payment to avoid disconnection, the customer should hang up and log-on to their account at www.GeorgiaPower.com to confirm the status of their account. 
  • As scammers have tried to promote the use of fraudulent 800 numbers, customers should direct-dial the company’s customer service line using the number on their bill (888-660-5890), which can be verified at www.GeorgiaPower.com/ContactUs. Do not trust “Caller ID” identifications. 
  • Delete all emails that demand immediate payment or personal information or that are from a company that is not Georgia Power. 
  • If an account becomes past due, Georgia Power will contact the customer via a pre-recorded message to the primary account telephone number or by letter requesting that the customer call the number on their bill to discuss the account. Georgia Power’s pre-recorded message will not ask customers to remain on the line or press a number to speak to a representative immediately. 
  • In the rare event that 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.  

To learn more about how you can defend yourself against scammers and avoid falling victim to common mistakes, additional information is available at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Scams. 



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Georgia OC Mike Bobo gets giant pay raise, salary matches DC Glenn Schumann

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Georgia OC Mike Bobo gets giant pay raise, salary matches DC Glenn Schumann


Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann will be paid equally in 2026 after receiving raises, according to an Athens Banner-Herald report.

Coach Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs are coming off a second consecutive SEC championship season and College Football Playoff Sugar Bowl quarterfinal appearance.

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Georgia Lt. Gov. announces bill inspired by Charlie Kirk to protect student speech

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Georgia Lt. Gov. announces bill inspired by Charlie Kirk to protect student speech


Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones on Monday unveiled legislation inspired by the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk that he says would expand students’ free speech rights in public schools, making Georgia the first state in the nation to pursue such a measure.

Jones announced the “True Patriotism and Universal Student Access Act,” known as the TPUSA Act, on Monday as a priority for the 2026 legislative session. The proposal, sponsored by State Sen. Ben Watson (R–Savannah), would strengthen First Amendment protections for public school students by safeguarding their right to speak, organize, and express political and religious views on campus.

The bill is explicitly shaped around the work and legacy of Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA and its political arm, Turning Point Action. Jones and others have framed the legislation as a way to honor Kirk’s efforts to mobilize young conservatives and defend free speech in schools and on college campuses.

“In the spirit and memory of Charlie’s work, the TPUSA Act in Georgia would ensure that students’ First Amendment rights to organize, gather and speak are protected, regardless of their religious, political, or social viewpoints,” Jones said in a press release. “Georgia is leading the way as the first state in the nation to do it.”

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Founder and President of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk speaks during the Turning Point Believers Summit at the Palm Beach County Civic Center on July 26, 2024. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Miami Herald


Jones, who is running for governor and is endorsed by both former President Donald Trump and Turning Point Action, also emphasized his broader commitment to free speech rights as part of his campaign rhetoric. 

“Georgia is building on the work of Charlie Kirk to ensure students can speak, organize and express their beliefs freely,” Jones posted on social media. 

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The TPUSA Act would require public schools in Georgia to permit political expression before, during and after the school day to the same extent that non-political expression is allowed. It also would let students form political clubs and groups during non-instructional time, bar discrimination against groups based on viewpoint, and guarantee that students could wear politically themed clothing and accessories under the same standards that apply to other permitted attire.

Supporters say the legislation would ensure that school administrators cannot block students from engaging in peaceful political activities and that all viewpoints, partisan and nonpartisan, would have equal access to meeting spaces and facilities.

Sen. Watson said the move reflects the belief that schools should not restrict students’ free speech or prohibit them from organizing around their beliefs. 

“School officials should not have the power to enforce their own ideologies on students,” he said.

Josh Thifault, senior director at Turning Point Action, praised Georgia’s effort, asserting that Kirk “lived and died for the First Amendment.” He added that the legislation will benefit students “for decades to come” by removing barriers to student expression.

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Georgia lawmakers stall car boot ban, leaving frustrated drivers with no relief from predatory parking enforcement

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Georgia lawmakers stall car boot ban, leaving frustrated drivers with no relief from predatory parking enforcement


Daryl Terry II had exited a popular wing restaurant, only to discover a heavy metal boot clamped to his car’s wheel. “I think booting should be banned because it’s predatory. You’re preying on people who are just trying to visit business establishments,” Daryl said, shaking his head while holding a $100 boot removal receipt.

Daryl explained that the parking lot was confusing, with faded signs barely visible even in broad daylight. “At night, you can’t see the sign at all,” he said. “By the time I got to my car, there were already two boots on it. The guy told me I left the property and didn’t pay, so he was entitled to boot my car.”

He’s not alone. Maddie Yoder, who works at a nearby bakery, has experienced the same fate. “I’ve worked here for five years. One morning, I quickly grabbed a spot and came back to a boot. The attendant literally waits for people to make a mistake,” she said, pointing out the tricky signage that designates spots for specific businesses.

Both drivers are among many Georgians who hoped a recent State Senate bill would end what they call predatory booting. Democratic State Senator Josh McLaurin, the bill’s sponsor, says the practice is a form of extortion. “Georgia needs to ban the boot. You’re trapped when it happens.”

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Despite gaining bipartisan support, the bill was abruptly killed in a procedural move. It was sent to a committee that, due to the chairman’s resignation, couldn’t hold hearings or move bills forward. 

“That committee is essentially dead,” McLaurin explained. Efforts to get comment from the Lt. Governor’s office about the bill’s demise went unanswered.

McLaurin isn’t giving up. He plans to reintroduce the legislation later this session, hopeful that relief is still possible for Georgia drivers. He also points out an inconsistency: “Towing companies in Georgia are regulated and can’t just wait in a lot for you to mess up. Booting, on the other hand, is barely regulated at all.”

For now, drivers like Daryl and Maddie keep a closer eye on the signs—and their wallets—hoping that lawmakers will finally put the brakes on predatory booting.

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