Local electric membership cooperatives, such as Snapping Shoals EMC, are warning consumers of a "phising" scam over the phone by imposters posing as EMC employees in order to obtain personal information. In the latest scheme, the thieves contact EMC consumers informing victims that the government is paying $350 towards the electric bill of senior citizens. The fraudulent caller claims that in order to process the check, he or she needs social security numbers and EMC account numbers.