SUMMERDALE, Alabama — Several local businesses have recently been the target of phone scams in the Baldwin EMC service area. In these instances, Baldwin EMC members received phone calls from individuals claiming to represent the cooperative and demanding money with threats of turning off their power.
“Unfortunately, we’ve had quite a few calls from members reporting these fraudulent demands,” says Baldwin EMC Vice President of Corporate Services and Public Relations Mark Ingram. “These members did exactly the right thing by hanging up the phone and calling us to report it. We want to remind all our members that a legitimate call from Baldwin EMC will never include demanding payment over the phone. We would also never ask a member to meet us for payment at a location that is not a Baldwin EMC office. If they receive a suspicious call, the best thing to do is hang up immediately and call our office.”
Phone scams typically involve:
* Callers threatening power disconnection if payment is not received immediately.
* Callers asking members to pay via credit card, a prepaid debit card or wire transfer.

As a reminder, while Baldwin EMC does use phone contacts to communicate with members, the cooperative will never demand payment over the phone. If you receive a phone call like this:
* Do not give out any personal information or agree to make any payments.
* Never make plans to meet the caller at a location that is not a Baldwin EMC office.
* End the call as quickly as possible.
* Report it to Baldwin EMC by calling (251) 989-6247 or (800) 837-3374.
Baldwin EMC is a member-owned electric cooperative serving more than 74,000 accounts in Baldwin and Monroe Counties in southwest Alabama, including Alabama’s Gulf Coast. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.