Gwinnett County

Man taken for hundreds in power company scam

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County man says he paid what he believed to be his utility bill, but it was just a scheme to get his money.

The victim, Homer Bush, says the scammer knew exactly how much he owed Georgia Power and had his account number.

Bush says that lowered his guard and made the caller's threat to disconnect his service seem real.

He says he knew it was about time to pay his power bill when he received a phone call Monday.

"It really disturbed me," said Bush. That's because the caller threatened to disrupt service if he didn't pay within the hour.

"Three refrigerators worth of food, and I have to keep the air conditioning on in the house for the family," he said. "I've got to get this taken care of."

Bush says he followed the caller's instructions and put $200 on a reloadable Green Dot card and called back with the card number.

He only thought to look up the Georgia Power toll free line after the exchange.

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"They assured me that no, this is not how we do business," said Bush.

He knows his money is gone, but says he's speaking out about his mistake to stop this scam before it spreads any further.

"It's not just about me," he said. "What about the other folks who are down and out and just barely getting by?"

"We just need to make sure that nobody else has this problem."

A quick Google search shows the (855) 406-4192, and similar numbers are also being used to con people in Florida, California, Virginia.

That's why Bush is offering a warning.

"If anybody calls asking for money over the phone, don't do it," he said.