Tri-County EMC warns of scam calls offering fake energy audits
Officials say callers pose as utility partners and offer in-home energy audits.
JONES COUNTY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Tri-County EMC says it is receiving reports from concerned members about callers posing as the utility or companies claiming to work with it.
According to the utility, members have reported getting phone calls from people who claim there are issues with high power bills in their area. The callers then offer to come to their homes to conduct an energy audit.
Anna Smith, communications specialist for Tri-County EMC, says the calls have raised red flags among customers.
“We had members calling in that were concerned,” Smith said. “They have received phone calls from people claiming to be from a company that was working with Tri-County EMC, and they would tell them that they had reports of high bills in their area. And then they would offer to come in and give an energy audit in their home.”
Tri-County EMC says the scam has been reported in Baldwin, Jones and Putnam counties.
The Jones County Sheriff’s Office says it is aware of the situation and warns that scams like this can be especially convincing because they are tailored to specific neighborhoods.
Crystal Murphy, an investigator with the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, says scammers often research which utility company serves certain areas before making the calls.
“It’s not hard to figure out, based on neighborhoods, which neighborhood uses Tri-County or which neighborhood uses Georgia Power,” Murphy said. “And then they start calling those houses posing from those utility companies, so it certainly is a little more believable.”
Tri-County EMC says it does not conduct unsolicited energy audits. Smith says most services are handled over the phone or virtually, and any employee who comes to a home will be clearly identified.
“Most of our stuff is done in house, over the phone, or virtually,” Smith said. “And if we have somebody come out to the house, they’ll be dressed in Tri-County EMC uniform and they will have an ID badge with them.”
The Jones County Sheriff’s Office says investigators are working to identify who is behind the scam. Both the sheriff’s office and Tri-County EMC urge residents to hang up and contact the utility company directly if they receive suspicious calls.
