DeKalb County

Woman warns of duo pretending to be Georgia Power workers

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A DeKalb County woman has a warning after she says two people posing as Georgia Power workers came to her home.

The homeowner, who asked to be identified only as Lauren, wants her neighbors to be vigilant and careful, so they don't fall victim to what she calls a scam.

Lauren said she was working last Friday from her home off South Ponce de Leon Avenue when she heard the doorbell ring.

"There were two Georgia Power employees, seemingly, out front, saying they were spraying meters, and they asked if they could enter my home to get back to the meter," Lauren told Channel 2’s Rikki Klaus.

Lauren's home surveillance video captured the moment a man and a woman, who were not Georgia Power employees, walked up to her door.

She directed them to the courtyard, in order to access her meter.

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"They very politely and professionally asked if they could enter through the home, because I was the last one on their list," Lauren said.

When the pair left, Lauren noticed something awry. They had painted the gas meter, not the electrical meter.

"So I called the power company and then I called the gas company, and they both confirmed that there weren't any work orders in, and they both advised to call the police," Lauren told Klaus.

Georgia Power spokesman Craig Bell said the incident presented a couple of red flags.

"We don't do drive-bys or unexpected visits at all," Bell said. "Cases like the one we're talking about today, we see where people come to residents' doors and pose as Georgia Power workers to try to gain access to the homes. We won't do that either."

Bell said customers must look for three things to know a worker is legitimate: a vehicle with a Georgia Power logo on it, a Georgia Power shirt and a Georgia Power ID.

"Don't just take them for their word," Bell said.

In hindsight, Lauren wishes she would have asked to see badges.

"I just felt really vulnerable. Had they entered the home and had been aggressive, I wouldn't have any form of defense, and of course, the 'what if they come back after seeing what's inside my home,' made me really nervous," Lauren said.

Bell said Georgia Power workers will always call ahead of time if they need to stop by.

The company said it's teamed up with the state attorney's office to address these fake crews because it's become so prevalent.