A Sulphur, Louisiana, business owner says a fake Entergy shutoff call cost her $1,000 after scammers threatened to cut power to her ice cream shop.
Aimee Lacy, owner of A Sprinkle in Time Too, was away from the business handling personal matters when she got a call from the store, according to KPLC. The message from the shop sounded urgent: someone claiming to be with Entergy was supposedly there to disconnect the electricity.
Lacy said she knew the bill had been paid and had a confirmation number, but the threat landed exactly where it would hurt an ice cream shop.
If the power went out, she worried the product in the store would melt.
The Caller Threatened to Cut Power to the Shop
KPLC reported that scammers pretending to be Entergy employees were on the other line and threatened to cut electricity to the business.
“I’m frantic. I’m thinking my ice cream is all going to melt,” Lacy told the station. “If they turn my power off, what’s going to happen? I mean, I can’t be an ice cream shop with no power, right?”
The scammers initially demanded $2,600, according to KPLC. The payment that went through was smaller, but still costly: Lacy said she lost $1,000 after being instructed to have a barcode scanned at a nearby Walmart.
The Barcode Payment Went Through at Walmart
The barcode detail made the scam different from a standard phone demand for a card number or wire transfer. Lacy was directed to a retailer, where the payment could be completed in person while the caller kept pressure on the situation.
That pressure continued after the first payment. KPLC reported that the scammers called back and demanded another $1,700.
During one call, a scammer said, “If there’s no payment today, we’ll proceed with the disconnection by 12:30 to one o’clock.” The electricity was not shut off during the supposed cutoff window.
Lacy Reported the Scam to Police
Lacy told KPLC she felt embarrassed after realizing what had happened.
“I felt stupid. I felt like, how could I have fallen for this?” she said. “And usually I’m very alert and aware of what’s going on.”
She said her children were surprised because she is usually careful with suspicious calls. Lacy reported the case to Sulphur police, who are investigating, according to KPLC.
Entergy and the FTC Warn About Barcode Payment Demands
Entergy tells customers to be suspicious of any threat to disconnect utility service unless immediate payment is made. The company says it never demands immediate payment or disconnects service without considerable advance warning.
Entergy also says it will not ask customers to pay through prepaid debit cards, gift cards, cryptocurrency, Cash App, Venmo, Zelle, or other third-party mobile payment apps. The company advises customers not to rely on caller ID because criminals can fake it, and says anyone unsure about a call should hang up and contact Entergy through a verified number listed on a bill or the company’s website.
The FTC has warned about utility scammers who send a barcode by text or email and tell victims to scan it at retailers such as Walmart, Walgreens, or CVS.
The warning is direct: a real utility company does not unexpectedly call, scare a customer with immediate shutoff, and insist on payment with a barcode at a local store.