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Tony Porto operates Smalley Inn in Carmel, which first opened in 1852. Porto received a call from someone claiming to be from New York State Electric and Gas Corporation that said he owes $1,492 or else they would shut off the lights.
Porto was instructed to get a Green Dot Money Pak from a retail store and send them the money. Porto was suspicious since he always pays his bills and called NYSEG.
"I was glad I didn't give them the money," Porto said. "I didn't want to give out $1,500."
Porto said someone in Mahopac got scammed for $3,500.
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office issued a warning, saying NYSEG would never call a customer for payment if they were in good standing and would never ask a customer to purchase a debit card.
When Porto isn't dealing with scammers, he keeps company with the spirits that haunt his restaurant. Smalley is home to three spirits. James Smalley, who founded the tavern, also worked as an undertaker and stored the bodies in the basement.
It is said when he went to transport the bodies to the cemetery, nine spirits stayed behind.
One night, Porto's son went to the basement with a ouija board and the board spelled out, "There are nine of us here. Want to come out and play?"
Porto's son and his friends were so frightened they threw the ouija board into Lake Gleneida.
Spirits at Smalley include 8-year-old Elizabeth Smalley, who hangs out at table 2, occasionally with her dog and George Denny, an 18-year old who was hanged for killing a man in Cold Spring in the 1800s.
The tavern has been featured on the Travel Channel and Smalley's has become infamous for its Halloween decorations that aim to scare.
"We warn people who have heart conditions," Porto said.
Porto has a binder full of photographs from different people that feature the spirits in the background.
"I live above the restaurant," Porto said. "I can feel the spirits come down on the mattress."
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