HERMITAGE, Pa. - A small business in Hermitage lost hundreds of dollars after falling victim to a phone scam. A young employee was met with aggressive demands over the phone when a scammer called Grizzly Bean Coffee and Kitchen.

“Don’t get off the phone with us, you need to do this, do this, do this, grab all the cash and start heading our way,” Matt Savon, the business owner, said about the demands from the person on the other line. 

The caller claimed to be a Hermitage Police Officer saying the store was involved in counterfeit fraudulent billing. The employee followed their orders taking all the cash out of the store, driving to a gas station where she purchased gift cards and gave the fake officer the card numbers.

“They were pretty sophisticated, they knew her name, they knew my name, even explained the building to her,” Savon said. 

Savon said in hindsight the red flags were there but the scammers targeted their youngest employee and scared her into thinking she had no choice.

“They targeted a young innocent girl…It's just disappointing that people are out there like that taking advantage of people,” Savon said. 

The clerk at the gas station was the one who stopped the scam and made the girl hang up but the thieves had already gotten $600. 

“The landscape right now for small business is tough to begin with,” Savon said.  “Obviously with the rise in cost and things like that so yeah it's a hit.”

The scammers tried to further steal money from the employees personal bank account but were unsuccessful. Savon is not blaming the employee and is supporting her after being shaken up. They’re using this theft as a lesson to their employees and other businesses who get similar calls. 

“If things sound wrong just say ‘if you want to reach out to my owner that's fine.’ I guess just protect yourself and keep your head on a swivel,” Savon said. 

The Hermitage Police Department is reminding the public that officers will never contact a business asking questions about cash on hand or instruct anyone to complete any cash app or similar financial transactions.

People should also never provide person information such as bank account numbers or travel off site for transactions for untrusted callers. 

If you receive suspicious phone calls police recommend you hang up and call a supervisor or the police immediately.

Hermitage police are investigating the scam.