They’re back: People falsely claiming to be Alabama Power employees are calling local businesses, demanding immediate payment of utility bills.

Don’t be fooled, even if your caller ID reads “Alabama Power.” These scammers are crooks trying to separate you from your money.

Here’s how the scam works: The caller claims to be a representative of Alabama Power and tells customers their account is past due and that electrical service will be turned off if a payment isn’t made immediately. The scammer then provides a telephone number to call, which sounds like Alabama Power’s automated customer service line, but is not. The phone number prompts customers to provide a credit card or bank card number.

Don’t let scammers have access to your financial information with false claims. (Getty Images)

Alabama Power does not do business this way. Customers who receive suspicious calls are urged to hang up and report it to law enforcement.

Here are some things you should know about Alabama Power, and some tips to protect yourself from utility phone scams:

• Alabama Power will never call you and say your service will be discontinued unless you make an immediate payment over the phone.

• No employee will ever call and ask you for bank information or a credit card number.

• No Alabama Power employee will ever come to your door and demand an immediate payment.

• Any Alabama Power employee who comes to your door for any reason will have company identification that he or she will gladly show you.

• If you have any questions about your account, or want to verify whether a person works for Alabama Power, call the company at 1¬-888¬-430¬-5787.

• Scammers sometimes claim they represent a nonprofit or government agency offering grants that can pay your Alabama Power or another utility’s bill. Never provide anyone making this claim your credit card information, your Alabama Power bill information or account number, or any personal banking information. If someone makes this claim, call Alabama Power or your local police department to report it.

(This article originally appeared in the Saturday, January 13 issue of the Demopolis Times.)