SIMSBURY -- Eversource Energy is warning its customers about a recent scam targeting small business owners. However, the Connecticut power company says its residential customers should be on guard as well.
Popover Bakery and Bistro in Simsbury got a call Saturday from someone claiming to be with Eversource. The caller demanded owner Pam Paydos pay up or risk having the electricity cut off at her business within two hours.
Panicking, Paydos tells Fox CT she thought this was a recipe for disaster. “It’s about 10:30 in the morning and we're full. It's our busiest day. I'm like 'no, this can't happen. No you're not. You're not doing that,'” said Paydos.
The caller demanded she pay immediately at a WalMart or Big Y with cash or a debit card. Paydos says that’s when she realized this wasn’t measuring up and called Eversource. They confirmed it was a scam.
Eversource says this is typically called the “green dot scam,” and targets people at the most inopportune moment. Eversource spokesperson Tricia Modifica says scammers are hoping to catch people off guard so they ignore logic before noticing any irregularities.