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

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:  

• 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. 

The new College Football Playoff rankings will be unveiled Tuesday night.

As far as the SEC is concerned, there are some questions.

How high will Georgia football move up after two other conference teams were upset Saturday?

And how far will three-loss Alabama and Ole Miss slide? They should go from in the 12-team CFP bracket to presumably on the outside of it.

Texas, Georgia and Tennessee may be the only SEC teams in the playoff field heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

Texas and Texas A&M play Saturday for a spot in the SEC championship game against Georgia in what could be a playoff elimination game.

Can three-loss South Carolina play itself into the field by beating Clemson Saturday?

Georgia will play for the SEC’s automatic playoff spot in the SEC championship game Dec. 7 but a win against rival Georgia Tech Friday night is needed to get in the playoff if it should lose in the league title game.

College Football Playoff rankings release date

The fourth College Football Playoff rankings will be released on Tuesday Nov. 26 on ESPN’s reveal show. It is the fourth of five rankings that will be released each Tuesday before the final rankings come out.

What time is CFP rankings?

The rankings will be revealed on a show that starts at 8 p.m. Each weekly ranking will come out on Tuesday nights, but the time of the show varies depending on the day.

Georgia football CFP rankings projection

Georgia will be the second ranked SEC team after Texas. The Bulldogs will climb from No. 10 to No. 7 and in position to host a first-round game in the 12-team bracket.

How to watch College Football Playoff rankings show

The 12-team field will be released on a top 25 rankings show that will air on ESPN. It can also be streamed on ESPN+.

How many teams in College Football Playoff 2024?

The field has been expanded from four teams to 12. That just so happens to come after a controversial 2023 when unbeaten Florida State was left out of the field and 12-1 Georgia was also outside the top 4.

How does College Football Playoff format work? 

The 12-team field includes five conference champions ranked highest by the committee and seven at-large selections. The four highest-ranked conference champions will be the top four seeds and receive a bye into the quarterfinals. The fifth highest-ranked conference champion will be seeded where it was ranked or No. 12 if not in the top 12.

Teams ranked in the top 4 that don’t win their conference will be seeded starting at No. 5. Teams seeded 5 through 12 will play in the first round Dec. 20 or 21 with higher seeds hosting on campus. Playoff quarterfinals and semifinals will at bowl sites and the championship game is in Atlanta on Jan. 20.

The early-season undefeated run is over.

No. 21 Oregon women’s basketball was dominated on the boards in a 74-58 loss to Georgia Tech on Monday night at the North Shore Showcase tournament in Laie, Hawaii.

Oregon (6-1) was out-rebounded, 53-31, by Georgia Tech (6-0) including 23 offensive rebounds. The Ducks got a team-high 10 points from senior guard Deja Kelly, supplemented by nine from fellow senior Peyton Scott and eight from freshman forward Ehis Etute — making her season debut for the Ducks after spending time with the Luxembourg national team.

Georgia Tech was led by Ariadna Termis with 13 points, Zoesha Smith with 12, and Ines Noguero with 11.

The Ducks got off to a slow start, trailing 16-7 with their interior defense and rebounding lacking. Georgia Tech slashed through the lane and scored easy buckets in transition, amassing nine offensive rebounds in the first quarter alone.

The Yellow Jackets led, 18-11, through one quarter. Oregon had not previously trailed by more than five at any point in its first six games.

In the second quarter, Oregon got some momentum buckets from Scott and Nani Falatea to claw back into the game. A 7-0 run late in the first gave the Ducks their first lead of the night, 25-24. Georgia Tech would mount a response and carry a 29-27 lead into the half.

The likely halftime message from Oregon coach Kelly Graves? Hit the boards. Oregon was out-rebounded 32-21 in the first half by Georgia Tech and gave up 14 offensive rebounds. Neither team shot the ball particularly well, either, with Oregon shooting 31% in the half to Georgia Tech’s 29%.

Transition play highlighted a breakneck early third quarter for both teams, with Georgia Tech extending its lead to 39-33 with 4:55 left in the frame. Oregon’s size advantage was counteracted by Georgia Tech’s speed and athleticism, and Graves experimented with different lineups to try and slow the Yellow Jackets down.

Kelly took over as the third quarter progressed, hitting key jumpers and driving to the lane as Oregon cut the Georgia Tech lead to 46-43 through three.

Georgia Tech seized momentum permanently in the early fourth. A three-pointer by Noguero made it 52-43 Yellow Jackets, and Oregon threw the ball out of bounds on the ensuing inbound. Graves called timeout as the Georgia Tech bench erupted.

The Yellow Jackets scored out of the timeout to make it 54-43, and a bucket for Kara Dunn extended the advantage to 56-43 with just under eight minutes left.

Oregon struggled to keep possession of the ball, Georgia Tech hit big shots, and the lead ballooned down the stretch. A Dani Carnegie jumper made it 68-49 Yellow Jackets with 4:37 to go, and a feisty Georgia Tech team didn’t look back en route to a dominant victory.

Next game: No. 21 Oregon (6-1) vs. South Dakota State (3-2) — Hawaii North Shore Showcase

• When: Tuesday, Nov. 26
• Time: 4 p.m. PT
• Where: George Q. Cannon Activities Center — Laie, Oahu, Hawaii
• Streaming: BallerTV
• Radio: Oregon Sports Network

— Ryan Clarke covers the Oregon Ducks and Big Ten Conference. Listen to the Ducks Confidential podcast or subscribe to the Ducks Roundup newsletter.