High severityImpersonation Scam
"Your Power Will Be Shut Off" Scam Calls
Updated July 9, 2026
Callers impersonate a utility company, demanding immediate payment via gift cards or prepaid cards to avoid disconnection.
Warning signs
- Caller claims service will be shut off within the hour unless you pay immediately.
- Payment is requested via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or a prepaid debit card.
- Caller ID is spoofed to look like a local or utility company number.
What to do
- Hang up. Utilities do not demand instant payment by gift card.
- Call your utility provider directly using the number on a past bill, not one provided by the caller.
- Report the call to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
This scam pattern appears in many U.S. cities and is not specific to any single utility provider.
Real utility companies have documented, multi-notice disconnection processes — they do not threaten same-day shutoff over an unsolicited phone call demanding untraceable payment.
This write-up is an educational summary of a known scam pattern, not a real-time threat alert, and does not name any specific Augusta-area victim, business, or law enforcement case.