Scam callers are demanding payment or will disconnect electricity

Scammers are calling Warner Robins’ restaurants and demanding payment of what they claim are past due electric bills, and if the business doesn’t pay, the caller says the power will be disconnected in 45 minutes.

“We have a deluge of member calls and complaints today” about the scammer calls, said Jimmy Autry, Flint Energies’ senior vice president of member and community relations, in an email.

Even though the scammers have “spoofed” caller ID to show Flint Energies name and number, “the calls are not legitimate and do not originate at Flint,” Autrey said.

The scam callers provide restaurants several ways to pay their bill, such as with an iTunes card, a prepaid Visa or MasterCard, Western Union or SpeedPay payment at Wal-Mart.

“Flint would never demand payment via phone and does not take member payments in this fashion,” he said. “We know of at least one business who paid the scammer using an iTunes card.”

This scam has been around for a long time and can also be directed at other types of businesses.

This story was originally published September 6, 2016 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Scam callers are demanding payment or will disconnect electricity."