FORSYTH COUNTY — The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office has issued a fraud alert for a scam involving threats to disconnect power service.

The alert comes in the wake of several complaints. According to the sheriff’s office, residents have received phone calls from unknown people claiming to be from a power company.

They are then threatened with having their power disconnected if they do not pay a large sum of money.

The agency is also getting similar reports from people claiming to be with the IRS.

According to the sheriff’s office, the scams always involve residents being told to stay on the phone and to go purchase a prepaid card.

Authorities say there is never a reason to pay a bill or a fine on that type of card.

Residents who receive such calls are instructed to hang up and then contact the company or organization at its actual number, not one provided by the scammer, to determine the real status of their account.