MOULTRIE, Ga. — Recent scams in the City of Moultrie’s service territory have left some customers victim to fraud.  

Joy Warnock, director of business operations, is concerned because of a large volume of fraudulent payment activity that’s shown up recently.  

“If customers receive phone calls telling them they have to wire money to a specific account or their utilities will be cut off, it’s fraud,” Warnock said.  “The City of Moultrie will never ask someone to wire money to an account.”

Occasionally, the City of Moultrie may call you to discuss your account.  “If we do, we will provide you with information that only you and the City of Moultrie would know in order to validate that our call is legitimate,” said Warnock.   “If, after receiving the information, you are in question of the call origination, please hang up and call us directly on our main line, 229-985-1974.”

Unfortunately, there are a couple more types of fraud happening in The City of Moultrie.  

The city reports people are going door-to-door claiming they will pay the customer’s utility bill for a fee.  

“The individuals claiming to pay the bill are paying with fraudulent accounts,” the city said in a press release. “In all of these cases, the customer ends up owing more money because of return check fees and late fees.

“We understand there are informational videos and individuals informing customers on how they can pay their utility bill through a Federal Reserve account by using their Social Security number. This information is false and considered fraud,” the city said.

“Customers need to understand if they are paying with a fraudulent bank account it is a crime and could result in legal action,” Warnock said.

Here are some tips to remember:

-The City of Moultrie never asks or requires customers who have delinquent accounts to pay specifically by credit or debit card to avoid service disconnection. Customers can also elect to make payments by cash or (in most cases) by check.

-The City of Moultrie does not charge convenience fees on any payments collected for utility services.

-Do not accept offers from anyone, including those claiming to be City of Moultrie employees, to pay your bill or provide any other service for a fee.

If you or someone you know has a question about whether someone is a legitimate representative of the City of Moultrie, call the city at 229-985-1974.